Lewisboro Man Charged in Lake Katonah Shooting Remains in Custody After Court Appearance

A Lewisboro man with shooting his Lake Katonah neighbor went back to jail Monday night after a brief court appearance in Lewisboro Town Court.

Richard Wilson, 77, has been held at the Westchester County jail on $50,000 bail since May 24 when he was arrested by state police and charged with second degree assault in the shooting of a 55-year-old female resident who is a neighbor of his on Sunnyridge Road.

Court officials scheduled his next appearance for July 23 and told Wilson it should be with a lawyer he personally retains, as a court-appointed lawyer would no longer be available to represent him.

The female victim told police she was in front of her house at about 7 p.m. on May 25 and getting ready to enter the front door when she heard "popping noises" and felt a sharp sting on the back of her head. State troopers located Wilson and his car about three hours later in the Goldens Bridge shopping plaza on Route 22.

Investigators found a stash of firearms—including two unregistered handguns and ammunition—inside Wilson's home. State Police Investigator James Stirpe said that ballistics testing results have been completed on the projectile that grazed the victim's head but they are not yet releasing the information.

The woman received non-life-threatening injuries from the shooting.

Many of her neighbors—about 20 residents of the Lake Katonah area where Wilson lives—attended the court proceedings in Lewisboro Monday night. The victim's attorney, Kerry A. Lawrence, was present as well.

Resident Ruth Post, also an attorney, said she came because she was concerned for the safety of her community should Wilson be released.

"I want to keep tabs on the status of the case," she said. "I'm hoping the legal system will protect us and he'll eventually be convicted."