Suspect of killing the father of his former detainee in Panama was released by mistake in New York – El Diario NY

Sheldon Dottin, suspected of killing his ex-girlfriend’s father, was released due to an administrative error in court proceedings in Queens (NYC).

A clerical error in Queens Criminal Court left him free Wednesday during a hearing on murder charges. Even was able to leave through the main doors of the Court, highlighted Pix11. But after the error was discovered, the 49-year-old suspect was located and arrested again.

After authorities realized they had released Dottin by mistake they called the Regional Fugitive Task Force. Agents found him early yesterday morning inside an apartment building on Hegeman Avenue in East New York, Brooklyn. They arrested him again and took him back to court.

Dottin is accused of killing a 72-year-old manfather of his ex-girlfriend, inside the victim’s home in Queens last year. He fled after the murder and was located in Panama a few months later, in August 2022. Then it was extradited to the United States and remained at Rikers for more than a year.

He Department of Corrections (DOC) of New York City received the green light from the court to release Dottin, saying his charge had been dismissed, according to sources.

However, a statement from the New York Unified Judicial System provided the following explanation:

“Sheldon Dottin was returned on an arrest warrant to Queens Supreme Court on August 30, 2022. At that time, a judge remanded him in custody and held him without bail. That safety order has been in effect since then and has not changed.

(On Wednesday, November 15, 2023) At the request of the Queens County Prosecutor, a Criminal Court judge dismissed a complaint and arrest warrant that had been filed in that court to effectuate the defendant’s return to court and was no longer necessary.

Court staff issued documentation to the DOC indicating that the defendant was no longer detained in that matter, but indicated that he would remain detained if “warrants, detentions, or other charges” were filed against the defendant.

Clearly there were and still are other charges pending against the accused and the DOC has the Supreme Court obtaining a remand order for the accused. “He should not have been released.”

All charges are mere accusations and those charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.