Saratoga County District Attorney, Karen A. Heggen, announced that Michael J. Davis, 39, of 27E Sue Lane, Clifton Park, New York was sentence on October 23, 2017 by Saratoga County Court Judge James A. Murphy, III to a total of 15 years in state prison, with a period of post-release supervision of 1 ½ to 3 years. Judge Murphy sentenced Davis to 8 years incarceration in a state correctional facility for his plea to Menacing a Police Officer, a class “D” violent felony, in violation of New York State Penal Law Section 120.18, and 7 years incarceration in a state correctional facility for his plea to Assault in the Second Degree, a class “D” violent felony, in violation of New York State Penal Law Section 120.05(3). The Menacing and Assault sentences were directed by Judge Murphy to run consecutively. Additionally, the defendant received a sentence of incarceration in a state correctional facility of 1 to 3 years for his plea to Criminal Contempt in the First Degree, as a class “E” felony, in violation of New York State Penal Law Section 215.51(b)(v). That sentence was directed to run concurrently to the 15-year total sentence for the other offenses noted above.
On April 16, 2017, Easter Sunday, Davis entered the home of his wife and children in the Town of Halfmoon, armed with a shot gun and in violation of a duly served stay away Order of Protection. His wife and children along with other young children in the home were able to flee, uninjured, before Davis barricaded himself inside.
While barricaded Davis fired several shots out the window of the residence toward police officers and the Special Operations Response Team who had surrounded the home. He threatened to take his own life as well as the lives of the police. After several rounds of tear gas were set off in the home and more than 20 hours of negotiations with New York State Police, Davis surrendered.
Four days later, while incarcerated in Saratoga County Jail, Davis became aggressive and fought with corrections officers which resulted in physical injuries to a corrections sergeant.
District Attorney Karen A. Heggen praised the New York State Police and Saratoga County Sherriff for their fortitude and commitment to keeping our community safe stating, “This case demonstrates the challenging and dangerous situations law enforcement members and correction officers can encounter. Mr. Davis not only endangered himself, but the lives of his family, neighbors and police officers and his conviction holds him responsible for those actions.”