| Ignition Switch Litigation
Convict Christopher Hammatt Committed Suicide
Nolle Prosequi
By Matthew
Russell Lee, Patreon
BBC
- Guardian
UK - Honduras
- The
Source
SDNY COURTHOUSE,
Oct 5 – Alongside the
multi-district ignition switch
litigation, Christopher
Hammatt, Susan Hammatt, Edwin
Tanglao and Joseph Hoats
allegedly created a fictitious
$16.5 million settlement
agreement to get litigation
funding from Funding
Companies.
On June 12, 2020
U.S. District Court for the
Southern District of New York
Judge Paul G. Gardephe held a
proceeding. Inner City Press
covered it.
The
defendants were all out on
bail. The US Attorney's Office
says it will be seeking a
superseding indictment, with
more charges against
Hoats. Judge
Gardephe said, I'm not going
to set a trial date now,
there's too much uncertain. No
trails until the Fall, if
then. But let's set a schedule
for motions. Mr.
Duboulay?
Donald D.
Duboulay replied, The problem
is traveling to meet my
client.
Judge Gardephe proposed, Sixty
days?
Duboulay said, I'd prefer
more...
But time is not
infinite. On August 28, 2022,
with Christopher Hammatt
facing an October 13
sentencing date, duBoulay
wrote to Judge Gardephe that
his client had committed
suicide. And on October 5,
this: "NOLLE PROSEQUI ENTERED
as to Christopher Hammatt.
Christopher Hammatt (1) Count
1,2,4. (Signed by Judge Paul
G. Gardephe on 10/5/2022)."
Back on January
29, Judge Gardephe held
another proceeding, and Inner
City Press again covered it.
The defense was saying even an
August trial would be too
early.
The US filed its
motions in limine, that
"evidence of the investment
fraud, the bankruptcy fraud
and the SBLOC fraud is
admissible." The defense
countered that Count Four
should be dismissed for lack
of venue, and that Judge
Gardephe should block evidence
of "Oil-Victim 2."
On April 19,
Susan Hammatt was sentenced by
Judge Gardephe, and Inner City
Press covered it. Her lawyer
did not expect her to get
prison time, and had no
request for designation ready.
But Judge Gardephe expressed
outrage at intentionally false
affidavits, saying the
judicial system cannot
function this way. The
guidelines were 10 to 16
months; the defendant wanted
time served, saying she cares
for her incontinent father
who, she says, abused her.
After
Judge Gardephe imposed a six
month prison sentence to start
on June 3, Susan Hammatt cried
and asked for reconsideration.
But six months it is.
On March 10,
2022, there was this: "ORDER
as to Christopher Hammatt: The
trial in this matter,
currently scheduled to begin
on April 11, 2022, is
adjourned to May 9, 2022, at
9:30 a.m. This trial date is
tentative, and depends on this
District's COVID-19 protocols.
A status conference will take
place on April 11, 2022, at
11:00 a.m. in Courtroom 705 of
the Thurgood Marshall United
States Courthouse, 40 Foley
Square."
Jump to April 14,
when Chris Hammatt appeared
before Judge Gardephe to plead
guilty. He said he is "always"
under the care of a doctor,
and described wires about
litigation funding. The plea
was accepted and sentencing
set for July 26 at 2 pm.
Inner City Press
will continue to cover this
case.
The case is US v.
Hammatt, 19-cr-67 (Gardephe).
.
***
Your
support means a lot. As little as $5 a month
helps keep us going and grants you access to
exclusive bonus material on our Patreon
page. Click
here to become a patron.
Feedback:
Editorial [at] innercitypress.com
SDNY Press Room 480, front cubicle
500 Pearl Street, NY NY 10007 USA
Mail: Box 20047, Dag
Hammarskjold Station NY NY 10017
Reporter's mobile (and weekends):
718-716-3540
Other, earlier Inner City Press are
listed here,
and some are available in the ProQuest
service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.
Copyright 2006-2019 Inner City
Press, Inc. To request reprint or other
permission, e-contact Editorial [at]
innercitypress.com for
|
,
