Witness in Buie trial finds home damaged

ALBANY — A witness in the fraud trial of a former Albany official can’t get a break.

Unemployed and testifying at the trial of her former supervisor, Shonnie King left court to find her house sustained a broken glass door during an attempted break-in Wednesday, a police report stated.

The report stated the break-in on the 800 block of West First Avenue probably happened between 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Coincidentally, that was when King was in the Albany-Dougherty Judicial Building on Pine Avenue.

King gave testimony in the multiple-count fraud case brought against Don Buie in connection with his alleged theft of money while he was CEO of the Albany-Dougherty Inner City Authority. She had been the bookkeeper for the organization.

“I don’t think one has anything to do with the other,” King said. “I think two boys in the neighborhood did it.”

Police labeled the break-in a criminal trespass and have it under investigation, said Phyllis Banks, Albany Police Department spokeswoman.

“It is hard to determine whether the break-in and the trial could have a connection,” Banks said. “We have many burglaries in the city. It could be a coincidence.”

Wednesday’s police incident reports had more than 10 burglaries, theft by taking and criminal trespass incidents reported. Adding entering auto

thefts and others the number rose to more than 20.