On Oct. 29, the completion of Adyn Brenden’s arraignment took place at Kirkland Town Hall; Brenden, a currently suspended Hamilton College student, was charged earlier this month with a single count of Aggravated Assault 1st Degree (“E” Felony) after defacing a mural with antisemitic remarks, as previously reported by The Spectator.
Representing Brenden in the criminal proceedings is Tilem and Associates, a litigation firm based out of White Plains, NY. At the trial, Brenden was represented by local defense attorney Nicholas Passalacqua of Passalacqua & Associates, based out of Utica. Mr. Passalacqua was also accompanied by a new attorney at the office. Mr. Passalacqua had met Adyn’s father, Mr.
Brenden, and Adyn just before the trial for the first time. During the trial, Mr. Passalacqua agreed to waive the reading of the rights. Brenden entered a not guilty plea.
On behalf of the state was Assistant District Attorney Sara Lupi of the Kirkland County Court. She requested 60 days for the state to prepare for presentation to the Grand Jury. The Grand Jury trial is expected to take place on Tuesday, January 28th, unless the state chooses to indict Brenden before the currently set trial date.
In attendance at the completion of the arraignment were Adyn Brenden, Mr. Brenden, Justice Jay G. Williams III, Lupi, Passalacqua and his colleague, two representatives from The Spectator, three other Hamilton College students and a reporter from WKTV.
Kirkland Town Hall’s court is only open on Tuesdays beginning at 5:30 p.m., resulting in a busy waiting room for local constituents handling personal judicial matters with the Town Justices.
The Spectator
has obtained more information from Hamilton’s Campus Safety regarding the process of his arrest. According to Wayne Gentile, Interim Director of Campus Safety, after a witness reported the
vandalism to Campus Safety, they arrived at the scene, securing the area and speaking with the individual who reported the incident. “Due to the nature of the content on the canvases the New York State Police were notified on Friday morning,” Gentile explained.
At the time of the report, Gentile notes that he and Investigator Scalise were off campus, and returned to support the investigation. “Investigator Scalise photographed the canvases and reviewed camera footage based on the witness’s description. Through this footage and by verifying card
swipes, Investigator Scalise confirmed the identity of the student suspected of vandalizing the canvases,” he explained. “Campus Safety then coordinated with the New York State Police to make contact with the student, leading to his arrest.”