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Jury deliberations are set to begin today in Kingston in the trial of former New York State Trooper Christopher Baldner. Baldner faces charges including second-degree murder, second-degree manslaughter, and reckless endangerment for his role in a 2020 crash that resulted in the death of 11-year-old Monica Goods.
During closing arguments on Monday (November 17), prosecutors argued that Baldner used his patrol car as a weapon, deliberately ramming the Goods family's vehicle during a high-speed chase on the New York State Thruway. According to the Daily Freeman, Assistant State Attorney General Jennifer Gashi described Baldner's actions as "willful, deliberate, and depraved." She emphasized that Baldner could have chosen a safer approach but instead engaged in a dangerous chase, leading to the fatal crash.
Defense attorney Anthony Ricco, however, placed the blame on Monica's father, Tristin Goods, who he claimed acted with depraved indifference by speeding away from a lawful traffic stop and losing control of his vehicle. Ricco argued that Baldner was simply fulfilling his duty to pursue a reckless driver.
The trial has drawn significant attention, with Baldner also facing charges related to a similar incident in 2019. If convicted on all counts, he could face decades in prison. The jury's decision will hinge on whether they believe Baldner's actions were justified or constituted a fatal abuse of power. The deliberations are expected to begin after jurors receive instructions from the judge today.