Office of the District Attorney

P. David Soares
6 Lodge Street
Albany, New York 12207
(518) 487-5460
(518) 487-5093 FAX

ALBANY, NY –District Attorney P. David Soares announces today that BRENDAN O’CONNELL, 35, of 667 White Mills Road, Chatham, NY has plead to the top charge of Manslaughter in the 2nd Degree, a class “C” Felony  and one (1) count of DWI.  
 
On November 4th, 2005, at approximately, 10PM on Interstate 787, at the Exit 7E off-ramp in Menands, NY, O’CONNELL did recklessly cause the death of his passenger Kathleen Eitleman of Chatham, NY on his 1980 Harley Davidson.  O’CONNELL consumed a significant amount of alcohol and was in an intoxicated condition.
 
THOMAS LAFORE, 21, of 2 Vantassel Ct., Loudonville also plead to the top charge of Manslaughter in the 2nd Degree, a class “C” Felony and one (1) count of DWI.  
 
On February 26, 2006, LAFORE, after consuming a significant amount of alcohol, lost control of his 2001 Nissan Pathfinder and crashed into a tree at 132 Lincoln Avenue in the Town of Colonie, the impact caused the death of his passenger and friend, Anson Breen of Albany, NY. 
 
Both O’CONNELL and LAFORE face up to seven (7) years in prison.  They will be sentenced August 29, 2006 in front of Judge Stephen Herrick. 
 
“These deaths were tragic and senseless,” said District Attorney Soares.  “This Office takes all  DWI cases very seriously, these events are terrible reminders of the many lives destroyed by acts of recklessness”.

Back to Press Releases

For further information contact: Rachel McEneny