Albany Police suing Colonie Town Judge

ALBANY, N.Y. ( NEWS10 ) — The Albany Police Department is suing Colonie Town Judge Norman Masstry. This lawsuit is over records related to the officer-involved shooting of Ameil Layani investigation that happened in April.

The shooting occurred when Layani ambushed an officer, Jonathan Damphier, after the officer tried to pull him over for speeding. Officer Damphier returned fire after being shot, which grazed Layani before Layani turned the gun on himself.

Albany PD is looking to get probationary records of Layani to look into his mental state at the time of the shooting, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit says the department has reason to believe that Layani wanted to take his own life in “suicide by cop.”

Records from a reckless driving case that Layani was convicted of back in 2022 are a part of the request. Judge Masstry oversaw this case.

Judge Masstry has reportedly denied the request, saying that the case was closed and he does not have the authority to overturn the case. A hearing on the matter is slated for September. Stick with NEWS10 as this story develops.

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