Skip to main content

Friedman: No decision made yet on whether to pursue adultery charge against Suzanne Corona

By Howard B. Owens

It appears that it's not a done deal that the Genesee County District Attorney's Office will pursue an adultery charge against Suzanne M. Corona, who was allegedly caught engaged in sexual conduct in Farrall Park on Friday.

The 41-year-old Corona and her husband of nearly 7 years spoke with reporters yesterday and Joseph Corona said that if he was the supposed victim of the crime, nobody in law enforcement ever consulted with him to see if he wanted adultery charges filed.

"I wish that the charges were dropped so that we could resolve this as a man and wife, more of a private matter," Joe Corona said.

He called District Attorney Lawrence Friedman yesterday morning and asked that the charges be dropped.

"(The wishes of the victim) does come into consideration and I told him that," Friedman said. "But what I also told him is that it's not the only consideration.

"Let's say for the sake of argument," Friedman added, "that he is the victim of that charge, we do take into consideration the victim's feelings, but as in any other case there are other things we look at."

While other people may argue that the case is bigger than just the people involved, he said such philosophical positions don't really factor into whether to prosecute a defendant.

Suzanne Corona has said she plans to challenge the constitutionality of New York's adultery law and she is actively seeking legal representation.

Friedman said he considers the constitutional issue somewhat irrelevant because Corona is charged with two Class B misdemeanors, the least serious crimes in New York. Even if one charge were dismissed or withdrawn, there's the public lewdness charge, which Friedman believes Corona has pretty much admitted to in her public statements.

Asked, however, that if there was a constitutional challenge, wouldn't it require his office to defend the state law? Friedman replied, "If we choose to do so."

"It's not like I would anticipate somebody receiving concurrent sentences if they were convicted," Friedman said.

The DA said no decision has been made on how to handle the case, and when the decision is made, it will be one of the assistant district attorneys in his office who makes the call. Friedman said he's not going to be directly involved in the case.

Friedman has prosecuted an adultery case in Genesee County before, he said. In that case, a witness testified under oath to a long-term, consensual relationship with a married woman, which prompted the woman's husband to ask the DA's office to pursue an adultery charge.

"How could we say no to that?" Friedman said. "Regardless of how anybody feels about the law, it is the law. We do feel a certain obligation to enforce it."

tom king

His job is to enforce whats on the books. No pick and choose in the legal system. Look at the evidence, and go from there. This case is like a 2 minute Colombo episode.Plead it out, pay the fine, and lets move on with life

Jun 10, 2010, 12:02pm Permalink
Michelle Dawson

Adultery is adultery. Her husband wants it to be a private matter for them to deal with but she made it a public matter when she did it out in public. She seems to be trying in 'a read between her words way' of blaming her husband for her cheating by claiming he's a transgender and they don't have sex with each other. If he's not a transgender and since she called him that in public, then she should also apologize to him in public. Whether he is or not, is not an excuse for committing adultery. Or maybe - they have some sort of arrangement of an open marriage if he is. We don't know.

Jun 10, 2010, 12:26pm Permalink
Debbie Paine

We all know people who have committed adultery. I know of two law enforcement officers who recently have. Shall we set up sting operations to catch them in the act so they can be charged? Was Eliot Spitzer charged with adultery?

The lewdness charge can be supported, and victims identified. The only victim of her adultery is her husband, and he has made his feelings clear on the matter. Like the politicians and celebrities whose adulterous affairs have come to public light, they will suffer ostracism and professional and personal turmoil.
Punishment enough.

Scarlet letter? She already has that now. Apologizing to her spouse in public for the transgender "excuse"? WHAT? Her husband loves her obviously. Why does he need a public apology? Prosecute the lewdness and then get out of their marriage.

Jun 10, 2010, 5:41pm Permalink

Authentically Local