Thomas Zacher
August 20, 2007
Niagra Falls, New York

Buffalo News
(Buffalo, New York)
August 22, 2007

At emotional arraignment, teen denies killing Falls cabbie

By Nancy A. Fischer - News Niagara Bureau

NIAGARA FALLS … A 16-year-old boy was arraigned this morning on charges
he murdered a city cab driver early Monday.

Anthony N. Adams, of Cleveland Avenue in the city, was charged with two
counts of felony second-degree murder, and accused of intentionally
killing a person and killing a person while committing a felony. He also
was charged with first-degree robbery.

Adams had been arraigned Tuesday on charges he shot another cab driver in
the ankle and robbed him early Saturday.

He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him.

City Court Judge Angelo J. Morinello ordered Adams held without bail on
the Monday robbery and slaying.

The family of slain cab driver, Thomas Zacher, 55, sat quietly in the
back of court during the arraignment, but were visibly angered when a
relative of Adams had to be led out of court after she broke down
sobbing.

They also bristled as Adams asked the judge, "How come I can't get no
bail?"

"We just had to be here," said Zacher's younger brother, Brian. "I just
wanted to see [Adams'] face. I wanted some closure."

++++++++++++++++++++++++

Niagra Gazette
October 31, 2007

ZACHER CASE: Teen indicted in cabbie killing

Youth also faces charges in three other cab driver robberies

By Rick Pfeiffer/pfeifferr@gnnewspaper.com
Niagara Gazette

LOCKPORT — A Niagara County grand jury has indicted a Falls teenager in the killing of a Cataract City cabbie.

At the same time, prosecutors asked a judge to keep Anthony Adams behind bars because of death threats directed at witnesses in the case.

“There are a number of informants who have come forward and said there have been threats made to witnesses,’ Assistant District Attorney Doreen Hoffman said. “There is evidence of calls from the (Niagara County) jail to one of the witness´ homes, as well as informants from the jail who say there have been ‘hits´ placed on witnesses.’

Hoffman revealed the threats in explaining to Niagara County Court Judge Sara Sheldon Sperrazza why she would not give transcripts of grand jury testimony to Adams´ attorney and in arguing that the 16-year-old should be held in custody without bail.

Adams lawyer, Public Defender James Perry, told Sperrazza he knew nothing about any threats to witnesses and asked that “some bail’ be set.

“His family´s indigent, so as a practical matter (Adams) would have difficulty (posting bail),’ Perry said.

Sperrazza set bail at $100,000 cash or $200,000 property.

Prosecutors also asked Sperrazza to order Adams to give a DNA sample. A hearing on that request was set for Nov. 27.

“There were items left at (a) robbery scene that could contain (Adam´s) DNA,’ Hoffman said.

Adams, known by the street name of “Nasty Nate,’ is charged in the Aug. 20 slaying of Thomas Zacher, 55, a driver for Blue Taxi company. He, along with Develle “Night Fire’ Carter and a juvenile suspect, previously identified only by his street name, “Water,’ are also charged in connection with three other cab driver robberies.

Develle and the juvenile are expected to be arraigned in the near future. Adams, identified as an affiliate of the Young Money Getters or YMG street gang, faces two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of first-degree robbery, two counts of first-degree criminal use of a firearm, one count of second-degree criminal use of a firearm, two counts of second-degree assault, three counts of attempted first-degree robbery and one count of fourth-degree conspiracy in connection with the Zacher murder and three other cab driver robberies that took place between July 30 and Aug. 20.

Adams, along with others, is accused of luring Zacher to the 1800 block of Linwood Avenue.

“When the taxi pulled up, (Adams) walked over (to the driver´s side window) and said, ‘Give it up. Give it up. Give it up.´ Then he fired a shot into the back of (Zacher´s) head,’ Falls Police Detective Capt. Ernest Palmer said.

As the cab careened into a group of parked cars, Adams and the other suspects ran from the area.

http://www.niagara-gazette.com/local/local_story_304220116.html

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