Register-Star Copyright 2021, Columbia-Greene Media Volume 238, No. 46
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TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2022
Victim’s mom testifies at murder trial
By Natasha Vaughn-Holdridge Columbia-Greene Media
HUDSON — A long-delayed new trial for a Claverack man accused of beating his wife Angela Morgan to death and hiding her body under their mobile home got underway in Columbia County Court on Monday. The jury of nine men and seven women including four alternates were seated together in the jury box and heard opening statements and testimony from two police investigators and the victim’s mother. Arthur H. Morgan Jr., now 50, was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison in the case in 2008, but his conviction was overturned in 2017 when
the New York State Court of Appeals ruled Morgan was improperly prevented from testifying. Day one of the trial included opening statements from Columbia County Assistant District Attorney Ryan Carty, Morgan’s attorney Steven Sharp. Several witnesses were questioned including the mother of Angela Morgan and former Columbia County sheriff’s office investigators Paul Graziano and Lt. John Rivero, who is now the sheriff’s public information officer. In his opening statement, Carty talked about the days no one had seen Angela Morgan in 2008. He
told the jury there had been previous incidents and altercations between Angela Morgan and Arthur Morgan and that Arthur Morgan caused the death of his wife. Arthur H. Sharp spoke to Morgan Jr. the jury in his opening statements saying his client was wrongfully accused. He told the jury that Carty and the District Attorney’s Office are trying to “turn an accident into a murder.” Angela Morgan did not die at the hand of another, Sharp said. He told the jury she died of a
Delyser said she planned to attend a scheduled family court proceeding scheduled for Angela and Arthur. Delyser said Arthur Morgan was at the courthouse and when she asked him where her daughter was he “smirked and walked away.” Graziano said he interviewed Arthur Morgan in 2008 after his wife had been reported missing. He said he interviewed Arthur Morgan on April 8 about 7:45 in the evening on the day the missing person’s report was filed. Graziano said at that time Arthur Morgan was not a suspect and he
drug overdose. Under questioning from the prosecution, Angela Morgan’s mother, Lorraine Delyser of Valatie, testified that she had reported her daughter missing. Investigators from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office found Angela Morgan’s body one day after Delyser’s missing person’s report had been filed. Delyser testified that she had received a call from Arthur Morgan’s mother informing her that Angela had not been seen for several days. Delyser said neither she nor her other daughter were able to reach Angela.
See TRIAL A2
Candlelight vigil held for Ukraine war victims
NATASHA VAUGHN-HOLDRIDGE/ COLUMBIA-GREENE MEDIA
More than 100 people attended a candlelight vigil in Hudson on Sunday.
By Natasha Vaughn-Holdridge Columbia-Greene Media
HUDSON — More than 100 people gathered in support of Ukraine at a candlelight vigil in Hudson on Sunday and paid tribute to thousands of innocent victims killed in the Russian invasion. Local Ukrainian-born residents and their families, elected officials and religious leaders converged at the 7th Street Park in Hudson.
“I just think it’s really important for people to not feel isolated right now,” vigil organizer Victoria Emanuela said Sunday. Emanuela is a Hudson resident who is from Ukraine. She has family who are still in Ukraine and she been grieving for them the past few weeks. She said she reached out to Mayor Kamal Johnson and asked if there was something happening in the community she could take
part in. He told her there had been other people asking as well so she decided to organize the vigil. “I think it’s really important for people to help carry the burden of grief,” Emanuela said. “So that they don’t feel helpless and alone and when we connect we can feel like we’re part of something bigger and therefore that drives action.” Candles held by dozens of those in attendance flickered through 7th Street
Park and dozens carried Ukrainian flags. Many more wore blue and yellow pins and clothing — the colors of the Ukrainian flag — to show their support. Clergy offered a prayer for peace in the Ukraine and the Ukrainian Catholic funeral rite Panakhyda was conducted to remember the men, women and children killed in the war. See VIGIL A2
Murder suspect was driver in Canaan accident By Bill Williams Columbia-Greene Media
PETERSBURG — A Rensselaer County man who was the driver in a personal-injury accident in Columbia County in February has been charged with the murder of a woman. Ian J. Hasselwander, 22, of Petersburg, was charged in connection with the investigation into the disappearance and death of Morgan Bates, 20, of White Creek, said Kyle Bourgault, public information officer for the Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Office. Hasselwander was the driver of a pickup truck that hit
Jerdarvis Gipson, 28, on Feb. 3, in the parking lot of Love’s Travel Plaza at 12845 Route 22 in Canaan. Gipson was taken to Berkshire Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. He has since been discharged from the hospital. Hasselwander was not charged after the accident because Gipson was walking in a poorly lighted area near the garage and was wearing darkcolored clothing, said Aaron Hicks, public information officer for state police Troop K. The investigation into Bates’s death began as a
Index
missing person c o m plaint on Feb. 22, and turned into a suspic i o u s death i n v e s t i - Ian J. Hasselwander gation when her body was found in the area of Cherry Plain State Park in Berlin on Feb. 27, Bourgault said. Hasselwander was taken into custody Friday evening.
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date. The Rensselaer County District Attorney’s Office will prosecute the case, Bourgault said. The investigation was conducted by the Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police and the Rensselaer County District Attorney’s Office. Assisting in the investigation were members of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Forest Rangers, New York State Intelligence Center and the Capital Region Crime Analysis Center. See SUSPECT A2
Weather
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TODAY TONIGHT WED
Cooler with clearing
Partly cloudy
A bit of snow and rain
HIGH 42
LOW 23
39 29
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Region ........................A3
Hasselwander was charged with second-degree murder, a class A-1 felony; first-degree assault, a class B felony; firstdegree strangulation, a class C felony; and concealment of a human corpse, a class E felony, Bourgault said. Police did not release a possible motive or the relationship between Hasselwander and Bates. Hasselwander was arraigned in Troy City Court by Judge Christopher Maier and was ordered held in the Rensselaer County Jail without bail. Hasselwander is scheduled appear in court at a later