“She used to say she hated Erin,” Hart said of her talks with Lynn Maxwell about life at home.
Lanza then began yelling above the noise of the crowd. “Go home to your trailers,” he taunted. “Go home and collect your welfare checks.”
Palermo Town Justice Robert Wood sentenced the Maxwells to a year in jail for each of the four counts of child endangerment for which they were convicted. The law allows a maximum sentence of two years for the crime. If they behave in jail, they could be out in about 16 months.
Erin died in the family’s Palermo home, a home filled with animals and the smell of feces. She died in her bedroom, a room that had two doors with locks on each one.
Her stepbrother, Alan Jones, was convicted of killing her. He’s awaiting sentencing. Erin’s father and stepmother were convicted after a two week town court trial of putting Erin in harm’s way by keeping an untidy home and by locking her in her room — charges the defense vigorously denied.
After court, a shouting match erupted when one of Lynn’s former coworkers shouted, “Bye, Lynn” at her. Defense lawyer Sal Lanza, who had just asked the judge to ask everyone to stay silent, shouted back.
The shouting resumed in the parking lot, with Lanza telling people to “go back to their trailers” and “collect their welfare checks”.
The Maxwells will serve their time in the Oswego County Correctional Facility.
Lanza is appealing the conviction and plans to ask the judge to release the Maxwells on bail while the appeal is decided.
Full details later…
UPDATED: Jury selection was completed Tuesday in the trial of the Palermo man charged with killing his stepsister last August. Alan Jones is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Erin Maxwell. Opening statements are set for Wednesday.
Alan Jones goes on trial beginning Tuesday morning for the death of his stepsister, Erin Maxwell.
The trial begins with jury selection before Judge Walter Hafner. District Attorney Donald Dodd and defense lawyer Sal Lanza will pick the 12 jurors and 2 alternates who will hear the evidence and decide whether Jones is guilty or not guilty.
Erin Maxwell is gone, but far from forgotten. Several dozen people gathered Sunday night under the pavilion at Palermo Town Park to remember the girl who died a year ago.
“I wish I could have helped you,” said Colleen Scott, one of the people behind Justice for Erin.
Lynn and Lindsey Maxwell head to Oswego County Court Tuesday morning to ask a judge to lower their bail.
The Maxwells were found guilty of four counts each of endangering the welfare of Erin Maxwell, 11, who police allege was murdered in the home by her stepbrother, Alan Jones.
I’ve sat through high-profile trials — Delbert Ward, Laurie Kellogg and Shirley Kinge come to mind — and more routine court appearances, motions hearings and sentencings than I can count.
This trial beats them all.
I’ve got a notebook full of leftover scraps from this trial that I think might show why I think this was so unusual.
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