On Tuesday, December 30, 2025, the Times Union reported that Albany criminal defense attorney Jasper L. Mills III was indicted on multiple felony charges related to witness tampering in a murder case. The indictment, consisting of seven counts, alleges that Mills disclosed the identity of a confidential witness in violation of a court order.
Mills, 45, was arraigned in an Albany County courtroom before Judge Michael Howard, who was assigned to the case after several Albany judges recused themselves due to potential conflicts of interest. The charges include two counts each of tampering with a witness and intimidating a witness, both felonies, and three counts of criminal contempt, a misdemeanor. Mills surrendered to police and was represented at the arraignment by attorney George E. LaMarche III. He pleaded not guilty and was released on his own recognizance without conditions.
The case is being prosecuted by the state attorney general’s office, which took over the investigation following a referral from the Albany County District Attorney’s Office. The initial investigation began after authorities discovered that jailed defendants in a murder case possessed documents that were subject to a protective order. These documents contained the names of witnesses, including a confidential informant.
Assistant Attorney General Nicholas Kyriacou stated that the confidential informant received a death threat from “armed individuals” in federal prison shortly after the protected information was allegedly disseminated by Mills. The informant was subsequently placed in protective custody but was later stabbed in prison on September 8, 2024, and threatened again for being identified as a confidential informant. Kyriacou described the evidence in the case as “voluminous,” including five recorded statements provided to the court and Mills.
LaMarche told the Times Union that the defense would review the extensive evidence provided by the attorney general’s office. He questioned the timing of the charges against Mills, emphasizing his long-standing work as a defense attorney.
State Attorney General Letitia James issued a statement asserting that witness intimidation undermines the justice system. She vowed to hold Mills accountable for allegedly endangering lives by sharing witness information. State Police Superintendent Steven G. James echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the commitment to protecting witnesses and holding accountable those who jeopardize public safety and the justice system.
The indictment follows a State Police investigation initiated over a year ago, probing how documents listing witnesses in a 2021 murder case, including a confidential informant, ended up in the jail cells of three of the four men charged with the murder of Shanita Thomas. Thomas, who was pregnant, was killed during a shooting. The accused are Raa’jiem Coleman, Terrence Anthony, Vramir Branch, and Marcel Perry. The protected records were found in the cells of Coleman, Anthony, and Branch.
The dissemination of the documents first surfaced during a June 7, 2024, hearing before Albany County Court Judge Andra Ackerman. During the hearing, Mills stated that he had discussed the witness with another client shortly after receiving the protected information. He also admitted to showing the document to another client who was acquainted with one of the murder defendants.
Mills has also filed defamation lawsuits against the Times Union, Albany County prosecutors, and State Police investigators, alleging that they wrongly implicated him in the breach of the protective order.
Source: Times Union
