Edgartown District Court Judge Benjamin Barnes put his foot down on the Mason Buddy case Monday morning. Buddy is accused of bilking a senior out of $25,000 through a bogus investment proposal. Buddy is also accused of failing to pay Clarence (“Trip”) Barnes for a vintage car.
Cape and Islands Assistant District Attorney Matt Palazzolo, who had been expecting restitution but found the money wasn’t there yet, told the court details were still being worked out in the case, including a status date for restitution.
Judge Barnes asked Palazzolo if restitution would close the case.
“If the defendant is able to raise restitution to make both victims whole, we’d certainly enter that as a plea, otherwise it would likely be a jury trial [where] we’re asking for jail time,” Palazzolo said.
Judge Barnes questioned why a jury trial wasn’t already in the works.
“Your honor, one reason is we’re trying to figure out what those restitution figures are at the moment,” Buddy’s attorney, Matt Jackson, told the court.
He said Buddy plans to come up with the money.
“How far apart is he from the restitution amount?” Judge Barnes asked. “Are we talking he’s $100 off, or $3,000 off?”
“I would suggest it’s in the thousands,” Palazzolo said. “However, defense counsel tells me he thinks he can raise the money.”
Judge Barnes scheduled Buddy’s case for a June 17 jury trial.
Cannot believe they would actually be considering a trail & jail-time for a 81 year old non violent offender, the “justice & order” in this kangaroo court ceases to amaze me.
Sony,
Little do you know the history of Mason Buddy.
From reliable sources this mans’ M O has not changed for 65 yrs.. When he has been out and about, I’ve been repeatedly asked to check on various homes to make sure he hasn’t gotten into them. Also it might jail is a great place for an older man with no means, friends or family. Three meals a day, a nice bed to sleep in, clothing, a warm building to spend your cold winter nights in, interesting characters to hang out with.
So before you take the age of this man into consideration, look up his record and think, warm food and bed or cold and sleeping on a park bench.
As someone who used to work with offenders….sometimes bad guys get old. Does it make them less of a bad guy? Should they not have consequences?
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