ALBANY, N.Y. — A New York State appeals court has reinstated a second-degree murder charge against former state trooper Christopher G. Baldner, accused of causing the death of 11-year-old Monica Goods during a 2020 high-speed police chase.
Baldner was originally indicted in October 2021 by an Empire State grand jury on charges related to the death of Goods, including one count of second-degree murder, one count of second-degree manslaughter, and six counts of first-degree reckless endangerment. The incident occurred during a high-speed chase on the New York State Thruway, in which Goods was killed.
In February 2023, Ulster County Court Justice Bryan E. Rounds dismissed the murder charge, allowing lesser charges to proceed and reducing the number of reckless endangerment counts to second-degree violations. Baldner was also denied bail shortly after his indictment.
New York Attorney General Letitia James appealed the dismissal, leading to Thursday’s 4-1 ruling by an appellate panel in Albany. The court’s decision reinstates the second-degree murder charge against Baldner, ensuring that he will face trial on the more serious allegation.
The case is expected to continue in Ulster County, though no new trial date has been set.
