CUOMO’S CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORMS AT WORK

Man who was supposed to testify against MS-13 gang members found bludgeoned to death

By Israel Salas-Rodriguez and Kenneth Garger

New York Post
February 5, 2020

Long Island authorities on Wednesday implied that a man set to testify against MS-13 gang members was killed as a result of criminal-justice reforms requiring prosecutors share witnesses’ identities with defendants.

Nassau County officials, including the police commissioner and county executive, announced the death of 36-year-old Wilmer Maldonado on Wednesday — while also decrying the discovery laws that took effect Jan. 1.

“The system failed, the system failed,” Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said at a press conference.

“This man is dead because we didn’t do enough … and this law is not helping us.”

Maldonado was discovered bludgeoned to death behind an abandoned home in New Cassel on Sunday, according to Nassau County police.

He was allegedly attacked by nine MS-13 members in October 2018 after intervening when the group threatened two boys.

The suspects allegedly beat all three victims, stabbing Maldonado several times and knocking him in the head with a bat, officials said.

Prosecutors last December revealed Maldonado’s identity to an arrested suspect’s defense team as a result of the recently enacted laws compelling the state to turn over the names of witnesses in criminal cases.

Before then, Maldonado’s identity was concealed through a court-issued protective order obtained by prosecutors in December 2018, according to Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas.

“This case underscores the importance of safeguarding the identities of witnesses and victims of crime and our hearts are with Mr. Maldonado’s family and friends as we grieve his loss,” Singas said in a statement.

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said: “These new discovery requirements pose a threat to both the victims and witnesses of crimes.”

Ryder acknowledged that there was no proof defense lawyers handed over witness information to the defendants — who have all been jailed since 2018 — but “what we do know that right after” the information was shared “we started [seeing] that pattern of intimidation,” and ultimately Maldonado’s death.

Police believe Maldonado was killed by associates of the jailed MS-13 gang members.

The day before he was killed, Maldonado was “beaten on,” but escaped from the attack, Ryder said.

On Jan. 30, one of the other victims from the October 2018 attack, was shot at in New Cassel, the commissioner added.

The trial was set to begin on Jan. 6, but did not begin on schedule, according to Ryder.