PROVIDENCE (AP) - A Rhode Island Supreme Court has upheld a judge’s refusal to step down from presiding over a case involving two purported members of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club.
The state Supreme Court declined to intervene Friday against Superior Court Judge Kristin Rodgers’ rulings in the case against Joseph Lancia and Lance Imor, the Providence Journal reported.
Lancia was arrested in June 2019 after an investigation into reports of shots fired and faces charges related to attempting to kill a former club prospect. Lancia allegedly fired a shot at Richard Starnino as he drove past the Hells Angels clubhouse, striking the car, according to authorities.
A grand jury indicted Lancia for assault with intent to murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, discharging a firearm while committing a crime of violence and other charges, according to state police.
A grand jury indicted Imor for possession of methamphetamine, compounding and concealing a felony, misprision of a felony and other charges.
Lancia’s lawyer has argued that Rodgers’ marriage to Little Compton Police Chief Scott Raynes, formerly of the state police for 24 years, could appear improper or biased.
Rodgers concluded twice that Lancia and Imor have failed to prove she had a personal bias that would sway her judgment.
“Chief Raynes’ past employment with the State Police, ending over one year before the events leading to the criminal charges in this indictment, has no connection, real or reasonably perceptible, to the conduct of this trial or the pretrial proceedings that would create the appearance of impropriety,” Rodgers wrote. “Thus, there is no grounds for this disqualification based upon either actual bias or the appearance of impropriety.”
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