Valaria Davis pleads guilty to reduced charges in Maple Commons knife case.

The charges were reduced to a simple misdemeanor after a plea deal between the prosecution and the defense.

Croton Village Court

The Chronicle has been following the case against Valaria Davis, who was charged by Croton police last January with Criminal Mischief in the 3d Degree and Menacing in the 2d Degree after an incident involving the use of a knife to allegedly threaten a Maple Commons resident. Because the case involved the use of a weapon, we have considered it more than just a private domestic dispute, which is also reflected in the charges.

Today, March 5, Davis pled guilty in Croton Village Justice Court to a reduced charge of Attempted Menacing in the 2d Degree, which is a misdemeanor rather than a felony. The plea was the result of a deal between Westchester County Assistant District Attorney Chelsea Paglia and Davis’s attorney, Anthony John Messina of Katonah. The plea was provisionally accepted by Judge Sam Watkins, and formal sentencing will be on June 4.

Under the agreement, Davis will serve one year’s probation rather than jail time, pay a fine, and continue with the drug treatment program she is undergoing in White Plains, where she now resides.

In a process known as voir dire, Paglia read the details of the charges to Davis and asked her to confirm that she was pleading guilty to them of her own free will. Davis admitted to an attempt to threaten the victim, who she stated is her girlfriend, with a knife and with “menacing words,” as well as attempting to destroy property in the Maple Commons apartment using the same knife.

Prior to the June sentencing, Davis will undergo a pre-sentencing report by probation officers, and those results will be presented to the judge on June 4. While the judge has the option of rejecting the plea deal, in most cases that is unlikely. The Chronicle will report further at the appropriate time.

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