Pre-Trial Hearings Finish in Oddone Murder Case

Jury Selection Begins Monday

By Aaron Boyd | 20 Comments

Stacey Reister seen here with members of her family and friends at the arraignment for Anthony Oddone more than a year ago. Photo by Kelly Carroll

Andrew Reister died Aug. 9, 2009.

Southampton - Pre-trial hearings in the murder case against Anthony Oddone, who is charged with allegedly strangling corrections officer Andrew Reister during an altercation at the Southampton Publick House on Aug. 7, 2008, finished today at a court in Riverhead. The official trial will commence on Monday, Sept. 28 with jury selection.

According to reports, on the evening of Aug. 7, 2008, Reister, 40, acting in his role as a part-time bouncer at the tavern asked Oddone, 25, to come down from dancing on a table, whereupon Oddone allegedly attacked the bouncer, continuing to choke Reister after he had become unconscious. At the time of the incident, Oddone apparently attempted to flee in a taxi, where he was apprehended by Southampton Village Police. Reister was taken to Stonybrook University Medical Center with severe brain damage and was pronounced dead two days later.

Oddone is charged with two counts of murder in the second degree, a felony, to which he has pled "not guilty." He will be represented at the trial by defense attorney Sarita Kedia and will be prosecuted by Suffolk County Assistant District Attorney Denise Merrifield.

Comments

henry from westchester says:
I'll tell ya why TZ can say something like that, because its true. Tony did a lot of great things for me. He was a good guy back in college when I hung around with him. But I shouldn't even be saying this because both parties naturally are going to say " oh he was such a nice guy or what ever"...of course both the victim and defendant were nice guys. What matters now is our American justice system...what ever happens in there is the final answer...both parties are going to have to move on after this is all over

Very sad from Local says:
Yeah..I'd say he made a tragic mistake...he murdered a human being... the father of two little kids. How can you say he is a "truly great person and friend" ? He is a person with major major rage issues. Great you say?? I say evil...

TZ from Orange County, NY says:
I grew up next to Anthony. He dated my best friend all through High School. I know his family. He truly is a great person and friend who made a tragic mistake

Very sad from Local says:
You know...you are making this sound like a "we win...you lose" situation"..Like Anthony is gonna win this case. Ok...suppose he does...or suppose he doesn't...what does it really matter to the Reister family....They LOST...they LOST big time. David and Mary Grace lost their Daddy. Halina and George lost their son. A Daddy and a Son are not replacable. No matter what Oddone gets...the Reister family LOST!! And..I wonder if Oddone has a conscience...will it matter to him at all?? Or will he go out and party someday when he is free. I hope he is never free of guilt..I hope he carries that burden with him to the day he dies...and I hope he pays then too! And...I wonder if Oddone's mother is crying the tears of pain like Andrew's mother is!!!

henry from westchester says:
We can all sit here and say we feel sorry for everyone...but we all know the truth....bouncers must be scum bags to effectively do their job...It was his choice to be a bouncer, which is a dangerous profession...I mean are there no chances of fighting? no there's not...If you are a librarian...or a teacher..or a banker... there's relatively no chance for fighting... but when you are a bouncer you take that risk...so that was the first mistake....then when you throw someone off a table...I am sure that person will defend themselves...and this is what happened...factors such as misrepresentation by the publick house will hurt the prosecutions case ( not wearing any identifying shirts)....The prosecution will not convince the jury of Intentional murder, which is ludicrous..but they have a chance to convince the jury that this is manslaughter...however, if the assistant DA continues the way she did as in her opening statement, which turned the jury against her, ( i was there), they could end up losing this case all together . I am sure you can all tell that I am a friend of tony's, but i do believe he should pay his debt to society, which he is doing and will do...but it should not, and will not be life in prison. It will be a couple or a few years..hes already done 14 months...

CK from Long Island says:
Oh yeah. Tony is such a great guy. Give me a break. Great people don't choke others to death and than flee in a taxi. The simple fact that he fled shows that he knew exactly how wrong his actions were. A great guy would stay around and try to help the person he just choked to death. Your boy Tony has been in similar bar situations in the past like breaking a bottle over someone's head which by the way can also kill someone! Obviously Tony has a problem with his temper and because of that fact it cost Mr. Reister his life. Maybe where you come from Tony type people are good people but where the majority of us come from he is a dirt bag murderer who took the life of a decent man who was out trying to earn extra money for his family NOT out drinking and acting like an idiot. A dangerous idiot at that. We don't know what we're talking about? You do? Were you one of his friends that didn't pull this idiot off of a man he was choking to death. If so than you are as much to blame and if not than shut up because YOU don't know what you're talking about!

DH from Suffolk says:
I think it is horrible what some people are writing you have no idea how it has changed everyone who was involved lives and its not your right to pass judgement on anyone you don't know, Tony was a great person and our hearts do go out to the family of andrew and the grief that everyone is feeling this is a horrible situation for all, but for some people to talk when there hasn't even been a trial yet and he IS presumed INNOCENT until PROVEN guilty and most people who are writing don't even know the facts, and were not there at the time of the incident its just crazy to me that people can even say anything, no one is taking in to account Andrews actions or character bc of the position he held as his profession. its not fair and all of your people should just back off bc tony is a good person too with family and friends who are also going through a lot. no one wanted to be in this position its a horrible situation but it does take two people for this to come about NOT just tony and using Andrews kids to make people feel worse and sympathetic is horrible he knew the position he took with the job which so many ppl claim is why he's such a great person, well tony has a family too and everyone should just shut up bc you are only making matters worse and the grief for everyone involved harder on both sides! May Andrew rest in peace and tony be allowed a FAIR trial!

CK from Long Island says:
Just because "big tone" was a supposed good person doesn't make him any less responsible and he must pay the price. If "big tone" had not murdered Andrew that night and instead drove away from that bar drunk and murdered a young child while dwi would he still be this great guy that some claim he is? The man murdered someone. I have very intoxicated and have never thought of choking someone to death and than kicking him in the head while he lays on the floor. "Big tone" didn't like that he was told to chill in front of his female friends and so he had to prove his manhood. Well he proved it and now he must pay the price. And so "big tone" I hope the rest of your days are spent in a jail cell. Andrew you are in my prayers as well as your brave wife and children.

Henry from westchester says:
I bet he gets off with maybe some probation...and some fines....but there will be no lengthy jail time. He will end up in a management position at the fancy golf club in 3- 5 years.....

andrew from LI says:
There is no excuse for what Anthony did that night. We all make some bad decisions, but as an adult you are ultimately responsible for your actions. That night it could have been anyone crossing his path, unfortunately it was Andrew. Anthony needs to pay for what he did. Andrew left behind a wife and two beautiful children that will have to live their lives without him. God bless Andrew and may you rest in peace..

ann from eastern suffolk says:
should Oddone's life end because of this mistake? should the bouncer's life have ended at the publick house that night? i agree with one of "bolt's" points: the publick house in southampton should be held liable. if indeed "Tone" is as outstanding as he's described, then the publick house should pay.

Big E from Long Island says:
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Reister Family and Tony...nobody wins in this situation

mike from NY says:
My thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved. It is a terrible tragedy all around. Although most of you dont care to know that some of us were good friends with Tony, I was. I knew tony as a smart student, great teammate, honest and respectful person, and most of all a great friend. Unfortunately good people can do stupid things when booze is involved and many lives have been changed forever bc of it. My thoughts and prayers are with the Reister family and my thoughts and prayers are also with my friend Tony

Local Teacher from Southampton says:
The next time Joe from New York feels bad for 'Big Tone' he should stop by the Reister's house and see Andrew's 2 kids going through their life without their father. That's pain 'Big Tone' can't know. It's up to the justice system now to come up with a punishment. Although, whatever that punishment is, it won't bring back their Dad and Stacey's husband. 'Big Tone's' responsible for that and now he has to face his own music.

bolt from eh says:
the bar should be held liable for letting him get so intoxicated and he should be found guilty of homicide. andrew was doing his job and now his kids have no father. this guy better not walk, but its the hamptons and money and connections go a long way. everybody is a nice guy until they do something like this. r.i.p. andrew

Seth from New York, New York says:
First let me say that it is sad and unfortunate to see what has happened to Andrew Reister, his family and friends. I met Anthony back in 2003 while I was a freshman at SUNY Cobleskill and had the privilege to live across the hall from him for a year. While going away to college for the first time can make one nervous, Anthony was really the first uppser classman to welcome me in and I will always remember that. Some may not like him for whatever reasons but I have to say everyone of those people would tell you that Anthony would never kill someone. Obviously alcohol can make some people do some bad things including murder, I really don't think Anthony was capable of this. Anyways my heart goes out to everyone involved and my thoughts will be with you.

joe from NY says:
I really feel bad for Big Tone, he would never intentionally kill someone. overall he was a good kid who liked to go out, and have a good time. Big Tone I'm hoping all goes alright...

Kathy from Springs says:
It could happen to ANYBODY mix booze in a heightened situation, just thank GOD it wasn't YOUR son...or husband Everyone has a history..no matter how patient or gentle....or how big theyre smile is,, family, friends, and no matter what good you do...EVERYONE is affected by Booze. How about serving some coffee or soda... if theyre that drunk, would they really know the difference??? WHO IS TO BLAME?? DRINKERS? POURERS? PEACE OFFICERS? too quick to judge...if it were your kid............

Devon from Suffolk says:
He would do anything to help you, it was just his way and faith. God bless him and his wife and Children.

John From LI from LI says:
I knew Andrew; he was a gentle patient man. Not hands on kind of CO--he worked in rehab unit. The picture you printed is the personification of what he was--that big smile. I hope and pray that his tragic death is paid for by 'the guilty party'. Nothing will bring him back, but the penultimate duty of any municipality is to protect people from those who would lash out irrationally. John From Long Island; SCSO retired IPA Member Region #15 “Man is a marvelous curiosity. When he is at his very, very best he is a sort of low grade nickel-plated angel; at his worst he is unspeakable, unimaginable; and first and last and all the time he is a sarcasm.” Mark Twain