Gage Ashley, a 26-year-old Auburn man facing a retrial in the November 2019 shooting death of Joshua A. Poole, will undergo an evidence suppression hearing on January 19.
The hearing was reported by The Auburn Citizen, and is crucial to Ashley’s defense. It will focus on the legality of a police search conducted at the residence of Mary Ferro, Ashley’s romantic partner, during the investigation.
Cayuga County Chief Assistant District Attorney Chris Valdina and Ashley’s attorney, Shaun Chase, are set to present arguments regarding the search’s compliance with the Fourth Amendment.
Chase contends that there was impropriety by the police, potentially violating Ashley’s constitutional rights.
The upcoming trial, slated to start in early March, follows the overturning of Ashley’s previous convictions by the state Appellate Division, Fourth Department. In December 2021, Ashley was found guilty of several charges, including first-degree murder, and sentenced to substantial prison terms.
However, his conviction was reversed due to a procedural error with the grand jury’s composition.
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