Awaiting trial on a seven-count indictment alleging misuse of school district funds, former Poughkeepsie School District Superintendent Robert Watson will now be required to wear an electronic monitoring device.
The decision, rendered May 20 by Dutchess County Judge Thomas Dolan, restricts Watson to his home except for appointments pre-approved by the Dutchess County Office of Probation.
Watson had been free on a $50,000 bond before knowledge of two arrests on suspicion of drunken driving came to light last week. The arrests came on March 15 in the Town of Colonie in Albany County and May in the Town of LaGrange.
In court, Watson’s attorney Michael Sussman said Watson was contesting both arrests, believing “there was no basis for him to be stopped.” Sussman told Dolan that Watson was under a great deal of stress as a result of the charges against him, as well as the poor health of his mother and frustration over a failure to find employment.
“Right now his circumstances are poor and I have asked him to get serious help. He has enrolled in two programs to get that help,” said Sussman, who expressed concern that being placed on electronic monitoring might hinder Watson’s efforts to receive help.
Dolan said the device would have no effect on Watson’s ability to receive counseling or other assistance.
“He can go, he just has to give notice and comply with probation. We use (electronic monitoring) all the time as a component of rehabilitation and it won’t be an issue,” said Dolan, who said court papers indicated that Watson has a .14 percent blood-alcohol level in the LaGrange incident. The legal limit is .08 percent. Sussman said Watson refused to submit to a sobriety test in the Colonie case.
“I think more control is appropriate at this time,” said Dolan.
Watson’s next court appearance will be on July 15, when Dolan will rule the defendant’s motion to dismiss the case.
Watson was charged in February with in a seven-count indictment, alleging the misuse of approximately $1 million in district funds to receive unauthorized vacation and pay raises, make improper hirings for administrative posts and authorize construction work without receiving clearance from the Board of Education.