Judge Closes Doors on Fowlerville Girlfriend’s Manslaughter Arraignment

YORK – York Town Justice Walter Purtell ordered that his courtroom be closed to all media while arraigning a young woman on a felony charge for allegedly stabbing her boyfriend, Marcus Postell, 22, causing his death.

Danielle Allen, 21, is charged with felony Manslaughter in the Second Degree.

“Well I wouldn’t allow cameras in and there wasn’t a whole lot of room,” said Judge Purtell, a retired NYS Trooper according to nytroopershistory.com. “In retrospect, I could have had reporters stand here without cameras. […] I didn’t realize how many reporters were waiting to come in. In hindsight, I probably could have gotten you all in here but I was a little reluctant considering the size of the courtroom to try and jam it full of media.”

Allen is the daughter of NYS Police Major Richard S. Allen, Troop E Commander. Livingston County Sheriff Thomas Dougherty said in the days following the incident and re-iterated at a Friday press conference that New York State Police did not assist in the investigation in any way.

District Attorney Greg McCaffrey’s Office recommended a bail amount of $25,000 cash or $50,000 bond. The Judge went along with that recommendation. Judge Purtell said that Allen’s parents have posted bond and that she will be released upon her return to the Livingston County Jail later this evening.

Allen appeared with attorney Cheryl Meyers-Buth, of Buffalo, for arraignment, along with her parents.

Allen will appear either in York Town Court or Livingston County Court at a later date for further proceedings.

In this case, Manslaughter in the Second Degree alleges ‘recklessly causing the death of another person.’ She was arrested at her parents’ residence at 11 a.m. Friday.

Allen, Postell’s girlfriend, called 911 to report a domestic disturbance at 3410 Fowlerville Road on the night of Nov. 21. When Sheriff Deputies arrived, they found Postell deceased and Allen injured.

Police believe that Allen has lived at the apartment for about the past 30 days. Postell is not thought to have resided there. Dougherty made it clear that there is no history of emergency calls for disturbances at that residence.

Investigators determined that Postell was stabbed with a knife on the night of Nov. 21. However, the Monroe County Medical Examiner will determine the official cause of death.

Dougherty confirmed on Nov. 23 that Allen has family ties to a law enforcement agency, but clarified that she has no ties to the Sheriff’s Office.

“I am not going to confirm anything outside of the Sheriff’s Office that are outside the scope of this investigation,” said Dougherty. “If some of you have questions for another law enforcement agency, I would direct you to that agency.”

Dougherty also confirmed that his office is being assisted by the Niagara and Ontario County Sheriffs Offices, Livingston County District Attorney’s Office and a blood expert from Corning, but that the New York State Police are not participating in the investigation and were never on scene.