Accused Lake St. stabber’s lawyer a no-show

WAMPSVILLE, N.Y. >> With the defense lawyer a no-show at the Madison County Courthouse on Wednesday, proceedings in the case against Michael Stevens were delayed until the end of May.

Stevens, the Oneida City man accused of stabbing his then-girlfriend more than 14 times in July 2016, appeared in front of Judge Patrick O’Sullivan for two scheduled hearings, but Stevens’ lawyer John Rapsante did not show.

“We were scheduled for a Sandoval and Huntley hearing,” O’Sullivan said.

And while the two hearings were to begin at 11 a.m., O’Sullivan rescheduled Wednesday’s hearings as the court could not locate Rapsante nor did he call to alert the court to his absence.

“The Court has not heard from Mr. Rapasante as to his whereabouts,” O’Sullivan said.

A Huntley hearing determines whether a defendant’s statement is admissable by analyzing the manner in which the defendant’s statement was taken. The court examines whether or not the defendant was given proper Miranda warnings and whether or not the defendant was of sound, sober mind when giving law enforcement a statement. If it is determined the statement was involuntary, then there are grounds to suppress the accused’s statement.

A Sandoval hearing determines whether or not the prosecution

will be granted permission to ask the defendant about previous convictions should the defendant elect to testify during trial.

With Rapsante still absent as of 11:18 a.m., O’Sullivan elected to reschedule the hearings to May 25 at 2 p.m.

Stevens, 36, is accused of stabbing his girlfriend more than 14 times at his North Lake Street home on July 15, as well as robbing another man.

While behind bars, police say he tried to get other people to kill both his girlfriend and the robbery victim. Stevens recently rejected a plea deal in the stabbing case.

The grand jury has indicted Stevens on the following counts:

• Second- degree attempted murder, a class B felony;

•First-degree assault, a class B felony;

•Second-degree assault, a class D felony;

•Third-degree robbery, a class D felony;

•Third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a class D felony;

•Second-degree criminal solicitation, a class D felony;

•Three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, a class A misdemeanor;

•Obstruction of breathing, a class Amisdemeanor;

•Second-degree harassment.

Stevens