People v. Vellake

Appeal from a judgment of the County Court of Tompkins County (Barrett, J.), rendered November 14, 2000, convicting defendant upon his plea of guilty of the crime of murder in the second degree.

After his wife’s body was found floating in Cayuga Lake near Stewart Park in the City of Ithaca, Tompkins County, on July 2, 2000, defendant was charged with two counts of second degree murder. At his August 2, 2000 arraignment, defendant entered a plea of not guilty. The prosecution served an order to show cause prior to the arraignment requesting that defendant be ordered to provide a sample for DNA…