People v. Gelia

Ellsworth N. Lawrence, Acting County Judge.

In November, 1958, Joseph Meilice laid an information in City Court, Buffalo, charging the defendant and one D’Angelo with extortion. Later in the same month the Erie County Grand Jury indicted the two defendants for extortion, attempted extortion and conspiracy, Meilice being named as the victim.

Sometime thereafter the complainant Meilice was indicted by a Federal Grand Jury for counterfeiting and was confined in the Erie County Jail. While there, his behavior became strange, erratic and irrational. He was transferred to a hospital for observation,…