Well, it has happened. Finally. The miscreant antics of former mayor Dave Roefaro have been publicly revealed. Along with his constant companion, Sabahoudin Mukic, known as "Budo," he was spanked by New Hartford Town Justice Van Slyke for his role in the now infamous "Daylight Donuts Coffee Caper."
For those of you who are not familiar with the latest round of trashy activities of this disgusting duo, let me update you.
Several weeks ago, my sister and former Utica Corporation Counsel Linda Fatata was accosted by these two thug wannabes at the Daylight Donuts drive through in New Hartford. Making inappropriate and threatening advances, the confrontation eventually ended with the alleged Roefaro bodyguard/chauffeur Budo muttering incoherent obscenities at her and throwing two partially filled coffee cups into her face.
Linda drove off, shocked and frightened, dripping with coffee and desperate to get away from this creepy, frightening situation.
Not happy with the initial outcome of their confrontation, they decided to up the ante by calling New Hartford Police and filing a complaint. In their corrupt and twisted minds, they decided to fabricate a new version of the event and accuse this lawyer, mother and breast cancer survivor of doing to them what they had done to her. Labeling it 2nd degree harassment, the investigator filed the charge and went home, never bothering to call Linda for her side of the story.
I will have to remember this. Apparently, all you have to do in Oneida County is fabricate a story, call the police with a complaint and thats it. No investigation needed.
When Linda found out, she was beside herself. These slippery slugs actually succeeded in turning the story around and convincing the authorities that she was the culprit. When she tried to get information from New Hartford PD, she was given a court date and told to be there. No questions. No investigation. Guilty until proven innocent-at least in this case.
Well, Linda had the sense to retain the services of Steve Lockwood, a local attorney who has a reputation of fighting for the truth and against the corruption of local government. And this case was full of questionable tactics and good old boy back-room deals.
What else could explain the handling of the case by DA Scott MacNamara's office? No offers of an ACD, no investigation-again. Just the word of a former mayor and his soul mate. "Scotty Mac," as he has been affectionately referred to many times by Roefaro, turned his boy Nolan loose and they were out for blood!
During the trial, I was half-expecting Mariska Hargaty from "SVU" to sweep in the door as a witness for the prosecution. At least that was the image Attorney Nolan was trying to portray. He was singularly focused on portraying linda as a crazed and dangerous criminal and insisting she be made to pay for her misdeeds. He alternated between mocking contempt for Linda and her witnesses and cooing sympathy for the "victims," Roefaro and Budo. It was truly nauseating.
Roefaro's testimony took all morning. When he was finished, he glided out of the courtroom like the star he truly believes himself to be. With the mid-day sun highlighting his thinning, jet-black dyed hair, he climbed into his equally shiny, black car to head back to his pious handling of yet another local corpse and it's grieving family.
In the afternoon, Budo held court. With his shiny suit stretched to the limit over his powerfully built frame, thick accent, thick neck, and hair thickly held back with tons of product, he attempted to portray himself as the terrified victim of this 5 foot powerhouse of a woman. He claimed that, from her front seat, belted in, she managed to accost him with pile-driver like punches to his gut. The ferocity of her attack, he claimed, was so great that it covered him with scalding coffee and turned him into a whimpering, defenseless man begging for his life.
Linda testified that she never used her arm to punch him. She has limited use of that arm, she said, due to lymphadema from her bout with breast cancer. Her arm is virtually useless.
In the end, the case did not add up. All of his TV inspired antics could not help Nolan make this case hold water. Roefaro and Budo could not get their story straight. Even Nolan's dramatic summation, worthy of a murder trial, did not make sense. Someone forgot to mention that Nancy Grace was not covering the trial and Court TV cameras were not waiting for comment.
And apparently Judge Van Slyke agreed because it took him exactly 5 seconds to pronounce the "not guilty" verdict. And just like that, it was over. The color drained out of Nolan's face. Budo ran out of the court room, perhaps to break the news to "My Mayor," as he has been known to refer to Roefaro, that their latest plot had been foiled. Again.
And, justice prevailed.
Bobby, just found your site, Verona Beach is not far behind Utica I too was charged with 2nd. harrassment, I took pictures from my patio and it annoyed a neighbor. The venue was changed and the judge from another court dismissed the case even before the DA became involved.
ReplyDeleteYou are right on I love your site.