By Eileen Buckley
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-562614.mp3
Buffalo, NY – The man accused of being the bike path killer was back in a Buffalo courtroom Monday.
Altemio Sanchez of Cheektowaga appeared as his attorney argued that the grand jury was tainted by media coverage. Last week, the grand jury indicted Sanchez for the murders of U-B student Linda Yalem in 1990, and Majane Mazur of Buffalo in 1992.
Prosecutors say DNA evidence links Sanchez to those murders and several other attacks that date back to the early 1980's.
Sanchez's wife sat in the front row of the courtroom and watched closely as her husband was brought in. But Sanchez did not appear to make any eye contact with his wife.
His attorney, Andrew LoTempio, argued before State Supreme Court Justice Christopher Burns against the prosecutions request for a DNA buccal sample.
LoTempio asked the judge to review the grand jury minutes before issuing a ruling on the DNA sample. LoTempio told the judge he believes the grand jury was tainted due to the amount of media coverage and wants to make sure proper procedure was followed.
Erie County District attorney Frank Clark says he does not believe the grand jury was tainted by previous comments.
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