The judge’s decision was stunning, but so were the allegations.
After the 2014 murder trial of a New York man accused of killing his wife, the judge wrote that the defendant’s lawyer was so unprepared and inexperienced that he relied on Google for help with forensics and pulled questions directly from an Australian web page, “DNA for Defence Lawyers.”
On Oct. 6, 2022, the judge overturned the conviction of Ganesh Ramsaran, 48, and ordered a new trial, citing the defense lawyer’s “egregious” conduct.
Four months ago, that case concluded with a plea agreement. In a courtroom southeast of Syracuse, Ramsaran — former IBM project manager and marathon runner known as “Remy” — pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the disappearance and death more than a decade ago of his wife, Jen Ramsaran, 36.
Remy, who had been serving a 25-to-life prison term, was sentenced to 22 years. Including time he’s already spent behind bars, he’s expected to remain in prison for less than a decade.
But in an exclusive interview with “Dateline,” Remy said he pleaded guilty in Jen’s death only because it was “the smartest thing to do legally.”
“I’m innocent,” he said. “I’ve always been innocent.”
Remy’s former lawyer, Gilberto Garcia, declined to comment on a detailed list of questions from “Dateline” about the allegations described in the judge’s decision but said he “respects” the order that granted a new trial.
‘The perfect life: A wife and a girlfriend’
Jen, who had three children with Remy, disappeared on Dec. 11, 2012. Remy told “Dateline” that before she vanished, she’d gone shopping in Syracuse, roughly 60 miles from their home in the small town of New Berlin. He’d done some work on a project, then went for a run, he said.
When Remy didn’t hear from her by that night, he called 911 and reported her missing, a transcript of the call shows.
In the days that followed, Remy found Jen’s cellphone in a creek bed…
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