All Greece Town judges recuse themselves from the former chief’s DWI case

GREECE, N.Y. (WHEC) — The drunk driving case against the former Greece Police Chief is back in court. But almost as soon as it started, the case was over.

All three judges in Greece stepped aside from the case Thursday because they know and worked with former chief Drew Forsythe.

So News10NBC went to find out what happens now.

The system has to find a court to take the case.

Friday, the district attorney will file some legal paperwork and she and the defense lawyer will meet.

The new court will probably be in a town that borders Greece.

When Forsythe walked into Greece Court is was the first time we’ve seen him since his crash in October.

"Gentlemen," said Steve Sercu, Forsythe’s lawyer as he walked into Greece Court. Sercu did not stop to talk about the case.

Forsythe is charged with misdemeanor DWI and a traffic ticket.

The district attorney’s office says Forsythe crashed his police SUV into a guard rail on I-390 and kept driving on three wheels for five miles.

The DA believes he was trying to get home.

"Hey, what’s going on?" Forsythe said quietly as he walked up to court security officers.

The DA says video shows Forsythe had multiple drinks at a charity event in downtown Rochester earlier that night.
Today we learned every judge in Greece recused themself from the case.

Sandra Doorley, District Attorney: "So they don’t want to handle even the arraignment. So what’s going to happen next is we will make an application to the Part 1 judge and have this matter transferred to another town court, probably one that is contiguous to Greece."

That leaves the courts in Parma, Ogden, Gates or the city.

Forsythe and his lawyer did not stop to talk.

Here’s the da again on the recusal of the Greece judges.

Brean: "And this is because those judges would know Drew Forsythe because he was the chief of police, is it that simple? Is that the explanation?"

Doorley: "It’s really that simple. I mean these are judges that dealt with him on a regular basis."

When they find a court, the district attorney’s office has to get the case on the docket. Then Forsythe will be arraigned.

I asked the DA if that could happen before Christmas. Doorley said it’s possible.

I asked Greece Supervisor Bill Reilich where we stand on naming a new chief.

He said there is a search ongoing.