Blind Justice

Adult inmate walks away from arraignment posing as teen By Associated Press, 3/26/2001 11:10

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) A 37-year-old white defendant fooled a judge and court officers by passing himself off as a black teen-ager and walking out of a courtroom.

Onondaga County Sheriff's spokesman John D'Eredita said deputies were investigating how Charles Maneri Jr. was able to pass himself off as a teen-ager. They also were trying to locate Maneri.

Maneri, of Cicero, was scheduled to be arraigned Sunday morning before Syracuse City Judge Kevin Young on charges of violating his probation, felony criminal contempt and misdemeanor driving while intoxicated.

But when his name was called, none of the inmates answered, D'Eredita said Monday.

It was then officers realized that Maneri had stepped forward earlier when the bailiff called the name of a 16-year-old inmate scheduled to be arraigned for violating the open container law.

''Maneri answered to that inmate's name. Maneri came out, is arraigned for open container, and is released,'' D'Eredita said.

''Five minutes later, they call for Charles Maneri and nobody answers. That's when they realized Mr. Maneri had impersonated the defendant a couple of inmates before him,'' D'Eredita said.

Each inmate waiting for arraignment wears a wrist identification that contains their name and photo. Maneri and the 16-year-old could have switched bracelets, or the bracelet may not have been looked at carefully when Maneri was brought into the courtroom, D'Eredita said.

Maneri is white, 5-foot-5-inches tall and 150 pounds. The teen is black, 5-foot-8 and 124 pounds, D'Eredita said.

When authorities catch Maneri, a charge of criminal impersonation will be added to the counts against him, D'Eredita said.

-- Anonymous, March 27, 2001

Answers

Response to Justice is Blind - and Well, Stupid, Too

but where was the teen?

-- Anonymous, March 27, 2001