Hugh Reynolds: Bombs away!

The question of Matthews’ assets will forever remain a mystery. Clever lawyers and accountants can hide assets even Eliot Ness couldn’t find.

Matthews’ chief asset, his $60,000-a-year pension, is protected by law; but he agreed to make restitution with monthly installments. The larger issue is, should anybody be racking up pension time while committing crimes on duty?

Matthews’ sudden sentencing in a small third-floor backroom courtroom had some of the appearances of a star-chamber proceeding. Had YNN-TV and this newspaper not been tipped off shortly before proceedings started, it would have been conducted entirely out of public view with only court officials, family and friends in attendance.

The DA says the nature of the proceedings — final agreements on the plea bargain apparently weren’t reached until the night before sentencing — gave no time to notify media. Perhaps, but the net effect would have been a secret sentencing, thus sparing the defendant any further embarrassment, and further fueling speculation of special treatment from one former colleague to another. The district attorney’s detailed press release following sentencing was no substitute for live coverage.

Assuming all interested parties knew the score going in, the judge (Andrew Ceresia, brought in from Rensselaer County to preside over the case) nonetheless injected some suspense when he expressed sympathy for the defendant in his pre-sentencing statement. Matthews, he said, was the most remorseful defendant he had seen in his time on the bench. The appearance of remorse is good in situations like that, but for Matthews, not for long.

The judge went on to say that if the crimes Matthews committed had been isolated or incidental, well, maybe some mercy was warranted, but 10 years of systematic stealing was, well, three to nine in state prison.

There’s something about handcuffs that gives finality to these kinds of proceedings. Standing with his lawyer at the defense table, admitting his guilt, expressing remorse, Matthews could have been pleading to a traffic ticket. It wasn’t until the sheriff’s deputy walked over and clicked those cuffs on that the enormity of it all set in.