Drug-Selling Charges Dropped Against Man Arrested in Philip Seymour Hoffman Case
By JOHN LELAND
AUG. 28, 2014
The Manhattan district attorney on Thursday dropped all charges related to the sale of drugs against Robert Aaron, a musician and a friend of the actor Philip Seymour Hoffman who had been arrested and charged with intent to sell heroin just days after Mr. Hoffman’s fatal drug overdose in February.
Born in Montreal, Mr. Aaron, 58, faced both prison time and possible deportation if he was convicted of selling drugs, a Class B felony. On Thursday morning, he pleaded guilty to possession of heroin, a lower felony for which deportation is less likely.
He agreed to serve five years on probation and perform 25 days of community service, and to continue court-supervised treatment for drug addiction. He also forfeited $1,284 that was confiscated from his apartment the night of his arrest.
An assistant district attorney, Jon Veiga, cited “evidentiary issues that have come to light” as the reason the top charges were dropped.
In a letter dated Aug. 14 and addressed to Justice Edward J. McLaughlin of State Supreme Court, the district attorney noted that the two police officers who first questioned Mr. Aaron after his arrest had not read him his Miranda rights, and that any statements made by Mr. Aaron at that first interview would not be used in court.
Continued here http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/29/n...gainst-man-arrested-in-hoffman-case.html?_r=0
By JOHN LELAND
AUG. 28, 2014
The Manhattan district attorney on Thursday dropped all charges related to the sale of drugs against Robert Aaron, a musician and a friend of the actor Philip Seymour Hoffman who had been arrested and charged with intent to sell heroin just days after Mr. Hoffman’s fatal drug overdose in February.
Born in Montreal, Mr. Aaron, 58, faced both prison time and possible deportation if he was convicted of selling drugs, a Class B felony. On Thursday morning, he pleaded guilty to possession of heroin, a lower felony for which deportation is less likely.
He agreed to serve five years on probation and perform 25 days of community service, and to continue court-supervised treatment for drug addiction. He also forfeited $1,284 that was confiscated from his apartment the night of his arrest.
An assistant district attorney, Jon Veiga, cited “evidentiary issues that have come to light” as the reason the top charges were dropped.
In a letter dated Aug. 14 and addressed to Justice Edward J. McLaughlin of State Supreme Court, the district attorney noted that the two police officers who first questioned Mr. Aaron after his arrest had not read him his Miranda rights, and that any statements made by Mr. Aaron at that first interview would not be used in court.
Continued here http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/29/n...gainst-man-arrested-in-hoffman-case.html?_r=0
