Attorney, judge trade jabs at hearing

STAMFORD — What started as a routine pretrial hearing for a local college student accused of showing interest in mass shootings quickly grew contentious when a Superior Court judge brought up the charges facing the man’s defense attorney.

Attorney Darnell Crosland asked the judge to expand his recent decision to allow his client, Brandon Wagshol, 22, who is under house arrest, to attend Jewish holiday ceremonies to also include Friday and Saturday services each week.

Judge Gary White did not rule on the request, but asked Wagshol if he knew about the charges his attorney faces.

Crosland was charged in September with bribery of a witness, witness tampering and conspiracy to commit witness tampering. The charges, sources close to the case said, stem from his defense of a Norwalk man who was charged with attempted murder for a violent daytime shooting in 2017.

“I have to ask you if you aware that your attorney, Mr. Crosland, has his own case pending, and if you or someone else might think that his representation of you will be diminished, tainted, or impeded in some way, because he has his own case,” White asked Wagshol.

Wagshol said he wanted to keep Crosland as his attorney.

A visibly agitated Crosland then challenged White, stating that if the judge was going to do a “true canvas” then he should start with Assistant State’s Attorney Paul Ferencek, who is prosecuting Wagshol and is also “involved” in his case. Crosland told the judge he should have Ferencek admit “on the record” that he has “something personal” against him.

Crosland’s statement got a rise out of White.

“You’re the defense lawyer, you be the defense lawyer. He’s the state’s attorney, and he’ll do that, and I’ll do my job,” White said. “Don’t tell me how to do my job. I’m not telling you how to do yours.”

The two then argued over the date for Wagshol’s next court appearance. White said the date would be set for Dec. 4, while Crosland claimed he and Ferencek had discussed Dec. 2.

“You know what, it’s Dec. 4 and that’s it,” White said.

Ferencek said the state expects Wagshol’s ongoing psychological evaluations to be completed by Dec. 4.

Wagshol has been confined to his father’s Bedford Avenue home on house arrest since his release on $250,000 bond in September.

Two months ago, White agreed to amend Wagshol’s probation requirements. As part of his release, Wagshol had been required to report daily to the office of adult probation in the courthouse. Under the amended agreement, he only needs to report there once a week. Wagshol, charged with four felony counts of illegal possession of largecapacity magazines, is still required to wear a GPS ankle bracelet.

White also denied requests to reduce bond to $100,000 and to return Wagshol and his father’s personal computers, which were taken for evidence.

Wagshol, suspended and temporarily banned from Central Connecticut State University, was arrested Aug. 14 after the FBI National Threat Operations Center received a tip from one of his family members that he was trying to purchase extended magazine clips in New Hampshire.

Police raided his father’s apartment after an investigation revealed Wagshol made a social media post showing an interest in mass shootings, according to a search warrant. Inside the apartment, police said they seized a .40 caliber handgun, a .22 caliber rifle, a rifle scope with a laser, four firearm optic sites, a firearm flashlight, body armor with a titanium plate, a full camouflage outfit, a ballistic helmet, tactical gloves, a camouflage bag, computers, and numerous .40 caliber, .22 caliber and .300 blackout rounds of ammunition, according to the search warrant.

The search warrant said Wagshol had an interest in mass shootings that dated back to 2008, when he was a sixthgrader at Ponus Ridge Middle School. In November of that year, Wagshol threatened to shoot another student using his father’s guns because the other child was making it hard for him to concentrate, the warrant said.

“I’ll make Virginia Tech look like nothing,” he muttered under his breath, the warrant said, in reference to the Virginia Tech shooting in which 33 people died the previous year. Wagshol’s case was later referred to the state Department of Children and Families.

Wagshol was one of three people arrested nationwide in a span of a week for allegedly expressing interest in or threatening to carry out mass shootings. The string of arrests came nearly two weeks after mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, where more than 30 people died.