New York Attorney General Letitia James announced on Apr. 8 the indictment and arraignment of Buffalo Police Department Officer Lance Woods, age 53, on a charge of Murder in the Second Degree. The indictment alleges that Woods, while off-duty, shot his wife Alexis Skoczylas at their home in Lewiston, Niagara County on February 14, causing her death.
Woods was arraigned before Judge Caroline Wojtaszek at Niagara County Court and was remanded to custody. The next court appearance is scheduled for May 8. According to the announcement, Woods was initially arrested after the incident and first appeared before Town of Somerset Justice Pamela Rider on February 15. If convicted of Murder in the Second Degree, he faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison.
The Office of Special Investigation (OSI) within the Attorney General’s office is responsible for assessing incidents where a police or peace officer may have caused a person’s death by act or omission. Under New York Executive Law Section 70-b, OSI conducts full investigations if an assessment indicates an officer’s involvement regardless of whether they were on or off duty or whether the decedent was armed or unarmed.
The New York Attorney General operates as a public law enforcement and legal advocacy agency for New York according to the official website. The office promotes social justice and community well-being through civil rights enforcement and consumer advocacy according to the official website. It also protects New Yorkers by ensuring public safety, defending civil rights, upholding consumer protections and preserving the environment according to the official website.
Letitia James heads the New York Attorney General’s office according to the official website, which provides services including consumer fraud investigations, charities oversight and tenant dispute mediation according to the official website. The agency operates through regional offices across New York State to address local legal issues according to the official website.
Criminal charges are merely accusations at this stage; Woods is presumed innocent unless found guilty at trial or by plea.
