On Thursday September 7, 2023, Demar Reinfurt (DOB 1/22/80) was sentenced following a conviction after trial. On July 6, 2023, a Schenectady County Jury convicted Demar Reinfurt, a resident of the City of Schenectady of five charges. Mr. Reinfurt was convicted of Assault in the First Degree, a class B violent felony, in violation of Penal Law Section 120.10(1), Attempted Assault in the First Degree, a class C violent felony, in violation of Penal Law Sections 110.00 and 120.10(4), Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, a class D felony, in violation of Penal Law Section 265.02(1), Unlawful Imprisonment in the First Degree, a class E felony, in violation of Penal Law Section 135.10, and Unlawful Imprisonment in the Second Degree, a Class A misdemeanor in violation of Penal Law Section 135.05.
Mr. Reinfurt was acquitted on the charge of Kidnapping in the Second Degree and convicted on the lesser included offense of that count, Unlawful Imprisonment in the Second Degree. He was also acquitted on Assault in the First Degree 120.10(4), but was convicted on the lesser included offense of Attempted Assault in the First Degree. The trial began on Tuesday June 27, 2023, in Schenectady County Court. The jury delivered its verdict after about five hours of deliberation on July 6, 2023.
The Hon. Frank P. Milano sentenced Mr. Reinfurt to 22 years in prison on the top count of Assault in the First Degree, with 5 years of post-release supervision as a Second Felony Offender. He was sentenced to concurrent time on the remaining counts as follows: Attempted Assault in the First Degree 15 years of incarceration with 5 years of post-release supervision; Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, 3 ½ to 7 years indeterminate; Unlawful Imprisonment in the First Degree, 2-4 years indeterminate; and Unlawful Imprisonment in the Second Degree, a year of local imprisonment. In aggregate, he will be serving 22 years of incarceration and 5 years of post-release supervision after his release from prison based on the sentence to the top count. An order of protection was issued for the victim in the case.
Mr. Reinfurt assaulted a woman inside of his apartment in Schenectady. Mr. Reinfurt repeatedly hit the victim on the head and the hands with a hammer causing serious physical injuries. Her injuries included a depressed skull fracture and broken bones in both hands requiring emergency surgery. Mr. Reinfurt committed this assault while the victim was locked inside of his apartment. The apartment had a metal sliding gate which the defendant locked during the assault, in addition to having soundproofing and coverings on the windows. On March 27, 2020, at around 11 pm the Schenectady County Unified Communications Center received a 911 call from a female repeatedly saying “unlock the door” 14 times. The call was mapped to the area of the defendant’s apartment. Police were dispatched and did not locate the caller at the time. A few hours later, at around 2:15 am, a second 911 call was placed by the same female requesting help. The police knocked on Mr. Reinfurt’s door at which time he responded through the door and a female inside could be heard yelling for help. Police began kicking the door attempting to make entry. At that time, Mr. Reinfurt stepped out from the apartment and police entered. The victim was found inside covered in blood with multiple apparent injuries. The hammer was found on the couch inside the apartment. Testing from the New York State Forensic Investigation Center determined the victim’s blood and DNA were on the hammer. The Schenectady Fire Department arrived on scene and transported the victim to Ellis Hospital. Based on the level of her injuries at the time, the victim was transferred to Albany Medical Center where she needed emergency surgery to stabilize the fractures in her hand.
At trial Mr. Reinfurt took the stand and represented that the assault was justified based on the victim swinging a board at his bicep. The jury rejected that self-defense claim in finding him guilty of Assault in the First Degree with a dangerous instrument.
Visiting Court of Claims Judge, Hon. Frank P. Milano, presided over the trial and sentence. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Maria Apruzzese and John Carson of the Special Victims Unit. Mr. Reinfurt was represented by Kyle Davis, Esq.