Police and Court Actions in February: A Quick Look

The state prison system is looking into an inmate who attacked a civilian counselor and a correction officer on Monday at Lakeview Shock Correctional Facility, sending both staff to the hospital. At Niagara County, Sheriff’s deputies charged 33‑year‑old Eric M. Mende after he crashed into a patrol car at Lockport Junction and Saunders Settlement roads on Tuesday. A former combat veteran received a 20‑year sentence when a federal judge ruled he killed a kidnapped victim. In the Broadway‑Fillmore area, Time J. Thomas was found guilty of shooting 31‑year‑old Quentin Sims on April 26. The Pine Harbor apartments saw a second stabbing this year, killing one person on Sunday. Federal court in Buffalo continues to hear pandemic fraud cases; a sentencing is set for next month that could be the longest term in the city. Jamestown resident Matthew Nuttall, 27, pleaded guilty to first‑degree manslaughter for the death of a 16‑month‑old child named Isaac Benton in April. An independent report on a 2023 kidnapping attempt at Charles R. Drew Magnet School found no cover‑up but highlighted weak communication and emergency protocols. A police report and home‑security footage give details of Melissa A. Spada’s February 8 crash in Wheatfield. A Buffalo police captain was suspended with pay over the case of Officer Lance Woods, who faces murder charges for killing his wife. Amherst detective Gregory Trotter reached a plea deal after lying to the FBI about contacts with a strip‑club owner. Miguel A. Castro Jr. is accused of killing his grandmother while three children were home, according to prosecutors. A man was charged for gunfire outside Tops supermarket on Jefferson Avenue on February 7. Two women face court over a Friday night stabbing of three others inside Walden Galleria in Cheektowaga. The Court of Appeals ruled an Erie County Family Court judge did not prove a video was authentic enough. Officer Lance L. Woods, 53, was arrested early Sunday in Cheektowaga for shooting his wife at their Sanborn home. All patrol cars now have dashcams that also read license plates, a system started last month.Internal Affairs records released under FOIL reveal details of the incident and officer discipline for the first time. Three women were stabbed and two others arrested during a brawl at Walden Galleria Friday night. The driver of the August Thruway bus crash, Bin Shao, faces ten felony charges linked to five deaths. A Brant couple was arraigned after animal‑cruelty investigators found multiple dead animals on their property. Payton Gendron’s defense and federal prosecutors have two weeks to file for a trial location change to Rochester for fairness. A settlement requires Mean Arms to stop selling a device in New York and warn that it is illegal there. Police found a Glock 44 handgun inside a baby’s playpen during an 18th Street home search. Shots fired at a supermarket parking lot were reported at 3:05 p. m. Saturday, prompting an officer response. A four‑year‑old was slated for surgery Monday after being shot on Bailey Avenue; details remain scarce. Investigators believe most of a child’s alleged waterboarding occurred over two days before the boy’s heart stopped in December. Prosecutors say Lavon Parks targeted a rival drug dealer, with help from his father. Border patrol followed an adult before stopping near the West Side school. City and state officials note a decline in shootings, car thefts, and other crime categories overall. Joshua Wright will be sentenced in May for his role in the crash that killed Shabrina Grant, 28. Israel Enden was ordered to use radio‑frequency monitoring and limited his outings to medical, court, and religious appointments. Cassandra‑Lynn Baughman, 20, faces charges for nearly killing a seven‑year‑old through waterboarding. A mother and stepfather are charged with torturing their seven‑year‑old son via waterboarding. Avante Ayala received 25 years to life for the 2023 killing of Miracle Hunt, 13. Charles L. Jones, who has admitted to two murders in 2019, is asking an appellate court to review his case amid abuse claims. The Jamestown drug trade causes yearly deaths; survivors often face long prison terms unless they undergo substantial treatment.