The expected guilty plea of a New York state trooper accused of faking his own shooting last year was postponed Wednesday due to questions about the man’s mental health.
Thomas Mascia, 27, was expected to take a plea deal in the case that would’ve seen him serve six months in prison and spend five months on probation, Newsday reported.
But instead, the hearing was postponed during routine questioning about Mascia’s mental state before accepting the deal, according to WABC.
When asked about his mental state ahead of accepting the deal, Mascia told Justice Robert Bogle that he did not feel well mentally, Newsday reported. That response was enough to give the judge pause and postpone the rest of the hearing until May 21.
Mascia also signed a court document as “Trooper Mascia,” even though he resigned in January, according to 1010 WINS. In court, Mascia and his parents wore green for mental health awareness month.
State Trooper Thomas Mascia (New York State Police)
On Oct. 30, 2024, Mascia said he was shot by a motorist on Long Island’s Southern State Parkway. That report launched a multistate manhunt for a suspect and a Dodge Charger.
However, investigators determined neither the Charger nor the shooter actually existed. Mascia actually shot himself in a nearby park to gain “attention or sympathy for himself,” authorities said.
Mascia was eventually charged with tampering with evidence, falsely reporting a crime and official misconduct.
https://www.nydailynews.com/2025/05/07/thomas-mascia-plea-hearing-postponed-trooper-shooting/