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No Trial Date Set in 2015 Adams Terrorism Case

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — It likely will be at least mid-June before there is any talk of a trial date in the case of the United States vs. Alexander Ciccolo.

On Wednesday afternoon, U.S. Magistrate Judge Katherine Robertson set June 20 for the next hearing in the case, which has dragged on for more than 18 months while the Adams man accused of federal terrorism offenses is held in a Rhode Island detention facility.

Robertson also ordered the exclusion of the time between Wednesday and June 20 from the speedy trial rules while Ciccolo's counsel and the U.S. Attorney's Office continue to discuss what evidence needs to be turned over to the defense.

On Wednesday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Deepika Shukla told Robertson the government had "substantially" completed the process of reviewing what materials it was comfortable turning over to the defense and there was probably "1 or 2 percent" of the material left to vet.

Ciccolo, who was arrested July 4, 2015, was not in court on Wednesday. He is represented by Northampton attorney David Hooose and Ramzi Kassem, a professor at the City University of New York. Kassem participated in Wednesday's hearing remotely but did not speak during the 15-minute status conference.

Hoose told Robertson that he and the government had a "very productive" meeting earlier this winter to discuss the discovery issue.

"The course we felt was productive was, rather than haggle over each request, I suggested the government produce what they feel comfortable with and I could assess [what more is desired]," Hoose said. "They produced in the last several days, and obviously, I haven't had a chance to look at it yet, unredacted materials that we're in the process of matching up with the former materials.



"At this point, it's fair to say we're still assessing what we have and making a determination if we want to make further letter request or will we need to make motions on things the government hasn't produced."

After discussions with both sides, Robertson set March 15 as the deadline for the government to turn over the remaining "1 to 2 percent" of the evidence, April 13 as the deadline for Hoose to decide what new requests he needs to make, May 12 as the date for Hoose to file formal discovery motions to the court, June 2 for the government to file a response and June 20 as the hearing date if one is needed to decide on such motions.

"My inclination is to set the next date in this court as June 20," Robertson said. "If it's a hearing date, it's a hearing date. I hope at that point it's a final status conference. … On June 20, I'd, in any event, set a date for you to appear in front of [U.S. District Judge Mark G.] Mastroianni."

In addition, Robertson told the attorneys that she wanted to be able to report to Mastroianni whether the defense is considering a "public authority or insanity" defense and whether there is talk of a plea deal

"I suppose by June 20, it would be helpful to know whether there … have been any discussions of a resolution short of trial," Robertson said. "I don't know if that's happening in this case. We don't have cases like this in this court."

Neither Hoose nor the U.S. Attorney on Wednesday indicated to Robertson whether a plea had been discussed.


Tags: #berkshireterror,   ciccolo,   terrorism,   US Court,   

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Hoosac Valley High School is Moving and Shaking

There have been some major shifts within the Hoosac Valley Regional School District recently, all of which have focused on enhancing the student experience to make it a place where ALL students can find their path.
 
In 2023, Hoosac Valley High School was designated an Innovation Pathway School by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and has since restructured the Program of Studies, utilized creative scheduling, and expanded internship opportunities. Part of this transformation includes participating in a "Portrait of a Graduate" cohort alongside four other Berkshire County schools to determine a collective vision for student success, in partnership with the BARR Foundation.
 
The Innovation Pathways at HVHS are designed to give students coursework and experience in a specific high-demand industry, such as technology, engineering, healthcare, or life sciences. Currently, Biomedical Science & Healthcare and Environmental Studies have received official state IP designation. In addition to the IP designated pathways, HVHS offers programs in Engineering & Technology, Business & Entrepreneurship, Arts & Entertainment, Education, and Sports Medicine. The result is that students have an opportunity for a transformative experience – enabling them to build essential skills, gain awareness of future career opportunities, and make informed choices about post-secondary education in promising fields.
 
Principal Colleen Byrd notes, "What makes our program special is that entry into the Pathway of your choice allows a student to access Advanced Placement and dual enrollment college courses, as well as internships in the community to set them up for success after high school."
 
The Portrait of a Graduate initiative consists of a team of Hoosac educators and students who exemplify the essential skills, practices, and beliefs that define learning experiences across the district. They work to outline the competencies, values, skills, and knowledge that define our vision for student success – keeping in mind that not every student's pathway will look the same. The District's goal is to ensure that all students graduate as responsible people, prepared individuals, lifelong learners, global citizens, critical thinkers, and thoughtful communicators.
 
Another recent change district-wide in grades K-12 is the "Crew" culture. Teachers and students now have time each day to create positive connections and build authentic relationships with one another. Through Responsive Classroom at the elementary school and Crew at the middle and high schools, students and staff gather for 30 minutes each day to engage in meaningful experiences rooted in mutual and shared interests. 
The Crew block is a prioritized structure that allows staff to support all students socially, emotionally, and academically – anchoring them and promoting the Portrait of a Graduate competencies. Crew takes many forms at the high school, such as gardening, bird watching, yoga, and sports talk with visits to college games.
 
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