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Photos from Pit Run, Women in Film weekend, Page A12 VISIT www.
Volume 213, No. 40
AllOTSEGO.com, OTSEGO COUNTY’S DAILY NEWSPAPER/ONLINE
Cooperstown, New York, Thursday, October 7, 2021
Newsstand Price $1
COOPERSTOWN AND AROUND
Robinson sentenced 20 to life for murder
Memorial to Paul Kuhn to take place Saturday
2019 killing of father shocked Worcester; case now mostly closed for defendants
The village of Cooperstown and the Cooperstown Christmas Committee will sponsor a memorial bench for Paul Kuhn, a dedicated public servant for decades in the village. The dedication event will take place at 2:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 9, in Pioneer Park in Cooperstown.
COOPERSTOWN — Dylan Robinson was sentenced to 20 years to life at the Otsego County Courthouse on Monday, Oct. 4, for the murder of his father, Kenneth Robinson, during a botched 2019 robbery attempt for marijuana and money. Dylan was 15 when the crime was committed Oct. 10, 2019, in Worcester. During sentencing, Otsego County Judge John Lambert said Robinson made “poor decisions in your young life” and noted Dylan smoked marijuana and used alcohol daily and hung out with the wrong crowd. Lambert said the defendant turned into a “tough guy in your mind” and tried to rob his father for marijuana and money so he could “continue your life of partying without consequence.” Lambert said when Dylan killed his dad and laughed about it, “That isn’t a reaction of a 15year old. That is the reaction of a killer.” Additionally, Dylan was sentenced to 10 years for burglary in the second degree and 10 years for attempted robbery in the third degree, which will be served concurrently. As Dylan was led out of the courtroom, someone said, “I love you, Dylan.” Marie Hoag was at the courtroom and said Dylan lived with her and her daughter for years. Hoag alleged Kenneth Robinson was abusive to Dylan and his brothers and called him a “monster.” “I was afraid for my daughter’s life and my
County to offer COVID boosters The Otsego County Department of Health is offering a clinic for the COVID booster shot Friday, Oct. 8, between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. at the Meadows Office Complex in Middlefield. Pre-registration is required. Go to www.otsegocounty. org to register and for more information. INSIDE ►FLING THINGS: Cooperstown Rotary to host annual fall event. Page A3. ►LAKE ARTS: Fenimore hosts annual art show. Page A3. ►STILL UNDEFEATED: Coop boys, Unatego girls continue stellar seasons in soccer. Page A7. ►TVL tussle: Columnist Nate Lull talks about Tri-Valley League action. Page A7. ►WOMEN IN FILM: Story and column about Film COOP’s destination-event weekend. PageS A4, A14. ►Pit RUn: Run honoring Ricky J. Parisian returns after 2020 COVID hiatus. Page A10. ►Park PARTNERSHIP: Lions, Friends of Parks team up to build pavilion in Cooperstown’s Badger Park. Page A10. ►PiCTURE PAge: Go behind the lens at Pit Run, Women in Film weekend. Page A12.
By KEVIN LIMITI
Kevin Limiti/The Freeman’s Journal
Dylan Robinson is led to his sentencing Monday, Oct. 4, in Cooperstown.
life,” Hoag said about Kenny, who alleged Kenny would “go after Dylan even in my house.” “Kenny said if you want him that bad then have him, and threw him across the door and slammed the door,” Hoag said. “I feel (Dylan) was involved but I feel he was not the one that shot his father,” Hoag said she placed
the blame on Alexander Borggreen, who was an accomplice in the botched robbery and murder. An appeal is expected at a later date. All the other accomplices involved have pled out and are serving jail time. Robinson was convicted in June after a threeday trial. Co-conspiritor Nicolas Meridy, then 32, of Oneonta, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in August 2020 and was sentenced in October of that year to 22 years to life in state prison. Alexander Borggreen, then 16, Robinson’s friend and the third defendant in the trio of ringleaders of the plot, was sentenced in April to an indeterminate sentence of up to 12 years in state prison for first-degree burglary, a violent Class B felony that precluded him from being eligible for youthful offender status. Borggreen took the stand against Robinson in August but then went mute and refused to testify. Otsego County District Attorney John Muehl said he does not think he will rip up Borggreen’s plea agreement and take the time and money to reprosecute him as a result. Anais Soto, then 15, who was a lookout for the plot, also accepted a guilty plea for first-degree burglary and was sentenced to eight years in prison in July. Two other suspects, Alexis Lottermann of Walton and Tatiana Febo of Downsville, then 16 and 17, had their cases tried as juveniles in family court.
Oneonta hosts women’s rights rally Saturday By KEVIN LIMITI
ONEONTA — About 100 people gathered in Muller Plaza at a rally for women’s reproductive rights Saturday, Oct. 2. The rally coincided with the Women’s March happening across the country as thousands marched in support of Roe v. Wade. The event featured music and speakers as well as pizza and lemonade. The looming issue throughout the rally was the harsh Texas antiabortion laws barring abortions at six weeks and offering bounties to anyone who turns in a person who Follow Breaking News On had an abortion or assisted with one. Marti Swords-Horrell, a minister OTSEGO.com at the First United Methodist Church, said she has been a minister for 39 ►Accident on WEST Street. years and came out in support of Minor injuries result from Friday reproductive health. three-car crash in Oneonta. “We believe in social principles ►Sports UPDATES: With high on every topic you could think of,” school sports going on, get the Swords-Horrell said on the stance of latest scores online. their church, stating that birth control ►COVID UPDATES: Coronavirus and abortions “should be available cases plateau in Otsego to everyone no matter if you’re rich County. or poor.” ►New LEADER: Otsego Land “It shouldn’t be dependent on Trust hires new executive anyone else,” Swords-Horrell said. director. Diandra Sangetti-Daniels organized the rally in partnership with Family Planning and said she thought it was important the community be
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Kevin Limiti/The Freeman’s Journal
Rebecca Bonker holds up a ‘Trust Women’ sign at the women’s reproductive rights rally at Muller Plaza in Oneonta on Saturday, Oct. 2.
involved in issues such as women’s rights. “Women’s rights have been up for grabs,” Sangetti-Daniels said. While acknowledging New York is a “progressive state,” it was important
to her that people “stay informed” and “stay active,” she said “It all started with Donald Trump stacking the Supreme Court with anti-abortion judges,” SangettiDaniels said.
Sangetti-Daniels’ high school friend at Oneonta High School, Moppy, opened the event with her singer-songwriter work on an electric guitar. Chip Northrup of Dallas, Texas, and Cooperstown, was at the rally and spoke about some of the historical significance of abortion laws. “I think the law is ridiculous,” Northrup said prior to his speech on the anti-abortion laws in his home state. “It’s not just unconstitutional, it’s absurd. It’s like a prank.” Northrup also called the law a “gigantic publicity stunt” and “embarrassing.” Amber Townsend-Diaz gave a heart-wrenching speech about her experience with having a child pass away and the purpose of late-term abortions for such situations. “Late-term abortions aren’t done by evil cackling doctors,” TownsendDiaz said, who explained that lateterm abortions are “done for the baby who will only know pain in (its) short life.” Townsend-Diaz said, in anti-abortion states “I would’ve had to wait until my life was in danger before I can terminate the pregnancy” or “jailed just for something that is normally, but sadly, a part of life.” Kasia Swift, a community See WOMEN, Page 2
THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA, OTSEGO COUNTY’S LARGEST PRINT CIRCULATION 2010 WINNERS OF The Otsego County Chamber/KEY BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARD