Tyshawn Pittman appeared in Cortland County Court on Thursday. He is being accused of attempted murder from a shooting that occurred in December 2022. (Photo provided by Kevin L. Smith of The Cortland Voice).
The defense for a man accused of attempted murder requested the indictment be dismissed, but the case will now move to a jury trial.
Tyshawn Pittman entered Cortland County Court on Thursday with the hopes of avoiding trial. His defense attorney, Jarrod Smith, requested the dismissal of the indictment, stating that the district attorney’s office is “not ready” for trial.
But, ultimately, the request did not go through, which sets up the beginning of Pittman’s jury trial on Monday (March 11).
According to a city police report, after Pittman shot the woman, his whereabouts were unknown. At about 7 p.m. the same day, Pittman was found hiding on the third floor of an apartment building on Main Street.
The woman, who suffered a bullet wound from the shooting, was transported to a trauma center in Syracuse to treat non-life-threatening injuries.
According to court documents, Pittman is facing charges of second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault, first-degree burglary and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
Smith said in court on Thursday that he filed a handful of Certificates of Compliance (COC) to the district attorney’s office, and two separate speedy trial motions. According to Smith, through the COCs he requested police officer disciplinary reports, criminal history of any potential witnesses and other documents.
“These are all things that should have been done way ahead,” Smith said, noting that the district attorney’s office should not have filed a notice of readiness for trial yet. Smith mentioned that an omnibus motion was also submitted for specific documents.
County judge Julie Campbell said on Thursday that criminal history reports “cannot just be handed over,” noting it violates state law. District attorney Patrick Perfetti reiterated Campbell’s response.
“(Perfetti) makes them available and you set up a time to view them,” Campbell said.
Perfetti said there have “not been many resolutions” between his office and the defense. As for the police officer disciplinary reports, Perfetti noted that there are officers who are willing to testify during trial.
When Perfetti mentioned he “anticipates the victim will testify to her having been shot,” Pittman yelled out “So you’re saying I did it”? Pittman’s defense attorneys, along with Campbell, immediately told him to keep quiet.
Smith responded to Perfetti’s explanation by saying “he’s not ready,” noting that Perfetti should have said in the COC “why he was late.”
Smith continually requested the specific documentation, with Perfetti mentioning that certain requested information will not be used as evidence.
“There’s nothing in the statute that I’ve found that has to be in a Certificate of Compliance,” Perfetti said. “Every county has a certain latitude to do it differently.”
Pittman’s trial, which was initially supposed to begin on Jan. 29, will commence on Monday and go through the week.
Further coverage of Pittman’s case in county court can be found here.
