Smith to preside over Norwich murder case

NORWICH – A new judge has been appointed to replace two others who recused themselves from an upcoming murder case in Chenango County Court.

Supreme Court Justice Kevin M. Dowd recused himself from hearing the case of accused murderer Daniel L. Brown after County Court Judge Howard Sullivan did the same. Both judges had previously worked with the family of the victim, Tammy Periard, in their private practices years earlier.

“In a case like this, even the remote appearance of any impropriety could give an appeals court something to reconsider,” said Sullivan.

Administrative Judge Judith O’Shea of the 6th Judicial District has appointed Broome County Court Judge Martin E. Smith to preside over the case. Smith has been asked to step in twice in the past year for two other murder cases, in which the judges recused themselves. He presided over the recently-settled murder case of Tammi Van Deusen and is currently presiding over the Peter M. Wlasiuk retrial, set to begin this summer.