Hearing judge reserves decision

A seriously injured Jordan M. Reardon told an off-duty state trooper that his girlfriend had caused his wounds by stabbing him, according to testimony Monday in an evidence suppression hearing in Jefferson County Court.

But it is Reardon, 19, who is charged with trying to kill Cassandra Marsala by running her down with his car Oct. 30 on County Route 97 in the town of Lorraine. A trial has been set for Aug. 3.

The hearing was to determine what statements Reardon allegedly made to police shortly after being found with his abdomen sliced open can be used as evidence at trial.

"He stated that he had been cut by his girlfriend," state police Sgt. Robert J. Simpson said.

Sgt. Simpson said he was off-duty while walking toward the Adams Fire Station when his father, Robert D. Simpson, approached him and told him there was a stabbing victim in a truck near the state police satellite office in Adams.

The trooper said no other law enforcement had yet arrived, so he asked Reardon how he was injured and who had done it. He testified Reardon told him that Miss Marsala had stabbed him in his car, but he did not know where she or the car was.

State police Investigator Randy S. Pound soon arrived at the scene. He said he asked Reardon only if he was the registered owner of the Chevrolet Impala allegedly involved in the incident. Mr. Pound said he accompanied Reardon to the state Department of Transportation building off Interstate 81, where they were met by a helicopter to take Reardon to a Syracuse hospital.

Mr. Pound also rode in the helicopter, but said he did not question Reardon further about the stabbing because "he was a victim." On the helicopter ride, Mr. Pound said, he heard that there may be a second alleged victim, but he did not receive any details.

"I learned that a further subject had been hit by a car. It was loud in the helicopter, but it was something to that effect," Mr. Pound testified.

Both he and Sgt. Simpson said Reardon was not in custody at any point while being questioned and Mr. Pound said he was not a suspect in any crime at that point, but rather a victim.

Reardon's attorney, Gary W. Miles, said he would not seek to have the statements made to the officers suppressed, nor would he seek the suppression of statements Reardon allegedly made to Watertown police Officer Michael S. Maney, who investigated a complaint that Reardon earlier had stolen a lacrosse stick from Miss Marsala.

The officer testified Reardon told him he had met Miss Marsala, who was riding a bike, at Thompson Park. He said Reardon told him he took the lacrosse stick from Miss Marsala because she was on the bike and he only later realized it was still in his vehicle. He told the officer he threw it out the vehicle's window because he "was frustrated."

The officer said Reardon and Miss Marsala's father, Kris, agreed to resolve the matter among themselves and no charges were brought. However, in an indictment handed up in March charging Reardon with second-degree attempted murder, he also was charged with petit larceny for taking the stick.

The only statements Mr. Miles indicated he would seek to have suppressed were those allegedly made by Reardon to Watertown police Officer Jacob W. Bull, who charged Reardon with criminal contempt for allegedly sending text messages to Miss Marsala in late December in violation of a "stay-away" order of protection.

Mr. Bull said while Reardon was waiting to be arraigned in Watertown Town Court, he told him that he had sent the messages.

"Mr. Reardon stated that he was mad and it's not like the text message he sent was threatening," Mr. Bull said.

Mr. Miles said the first message was a request for Miss Marsala to call Reardon, while the second also was a request to talk, as well as a holiday greeting.

Mr. Miles contends the statements to Mr. Bull were taken in violation of his right to have counsel present during questioning. Chief Assistant District Attorney Kristyna S. Mills argued the statement was a "spontaneous utterance" and should be allowed into evidence. Judge Kim H. Martusewicz reserved decision on the admissibility of the statement.