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Crime

Queens Man Indicted on Attempted Murder after Chaotic Incident at Palisades Center Mall

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4 years ago

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WEST NYACK, NY – Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh, II announced that Michael Burks, 26, of Queens Village, NY, was indicted on:

• Two Counts of Attempted Murder in the 2nd Degree
• One Count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 2ndDegree
• One Count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 3rdDegree
• One Count of Resisting Arrest
• One Count of Criminal Possession of a Marihuana in the 5th Degree
• Two Counts of Attempted Assault in the 3rd Degree

On October 18, 2020, at the Palisades Center Mall, Michael Burks approached two women and verbally and physically assaulted them. Burks threatened to shoot both women. He then got into his car and drove towards the two women almost striking them. The Clarkstown Police Department ultimately stopped the car after a pursuit. After resisting arrest, Burks was found to be in possession of a loaded firearm and marihuana.

Rockland County District Attorney Tom Walsh said, “the arrest of Michael Burks was a testament to the hard work and professionalism of the Clarkstown Police Department. I have the utmost confidence in my team that this case will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Arraignment on the indictment is pending. Burks is being held in the Rockland County Jail. Senior Assistant District Attorney Melissa Robustello and Assistant District Attorney Ryan Sweeney are prosecuting the case and are being overseen by First Assistant District Attorney Dominic Crispino.

* It should be noted that a criminal complaint is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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Crime

Rockland County Court Rejects Convicted Murderer’s Eighth Attempt To Vacate Conviction

Published

6 days ago

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March 27, 2025

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Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh, II, announced today that, in a decision issued on March 25, 2025, Rockland County Court Judge Kevin F. Russo rejected the latest attempt by convicted murderer Amer Zada to have his conviction vacated. The court noted that this motion is the eighth time Zada has sought to reverse or vacate his conviction.
In 1980, Zada was convicted of the murder of seventeen-year-old Shirley Smith in a Village of Nyack parking lot. He was also convicted of Attempted Sodomy in the First Degree and Aggravated Sexual Abuse as a result of his attack on Ms. Smith. At his trial, Zada was represented by William Kunstler, a world-renowned defense attorney who had gained notoriety for successfully defending many high profile and controversial clients.
In its decision, the court described the defendant’s current motion as being largely based on Zada’s claim that certain documents were not turned over to him prior to trial.
“The court found that Zada had failed to adequately establish this speculative claim as he provided no direct evidence that he had never received the documents. I would like to commend Executive Assistant District Attorney James Dolan for his dedication and professionalism representing the Office in this proceeding.” said District Attorney Tom Walsh.
The court also found that, even assuming that the documents had not been turned over, they were of little importance in the case against Zada and none of them were exculpatory within the meaning of the law. In addition, the court found that Zada’s motion to vacate his conviction raised only minor inconsistencies in the case against him, most of which were thoroughly explored by Mr. Kunstler during the trial. In conclusion, the court found that Zada had not offered anything to justify vacating his conviction.

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Crime

Ramapo Police Officers Arrest 19 Individuals Over The Weekend From DUI to Domestic Violence

Published

1 week ago

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March 25, 2025

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This past weekend, your Ramapo officers were hard at work, making 19 arrests throughout the Town. The breakdown includes:
• 10 arrests for suspended licenses or registrations
• 2 arrests on warrants
• 2 arrests for drunk driving, including one with a child in the car
• 1 arrest for open container
• 1 arrest for a forged inspection sticker
• 2 domestic-related assaults with child endangerment
• 1 arrest for domestic-related criminal mischief
All individuals arrested have been processed and cases handed off to the next step in the criminal justice system. It is important to note that a criminal complaint is an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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