06/05/2026
NYSTPBA President Charles W. Murphy sent the following message to members this afternoon:
Dear Members,
You no doubt saw the news that former Trooper Christopher Baldner received a sentence this week of 2.5 to 7.5 years in prison in connection with a high-speed chase on the Thruway in 2020 that resulted in the tragic death of 11-year-old Monica Goods.
We are deeply disappointed and angered by not only the sentence imposed, but the process that brought former Trooper Baldner to this point. As you will recall, he was tried not once, but twice, after being acquitted last year on two of the three charges he faced.
The state attorney general moved to retry former Trooper Baldner on the remaining manslaughter charge, on which the jury had deadlocked, after taking almost no time to process the fact that the judge declared a mistrial.
The attorney general also did so even though it was abundantly clear that the reckless and illegal actions by Monica Goods’ father, Tristin Goods, played a central role in the circumstances leading to her death.
As NYSTPBA representatives in the courtroom reported, the judge himself noted this fact during this week’s sentencing hearing. Yet inexplicably, Mr. Goods was never charged.
When the official sentencing transcript is released, it will make clear the judge’s disbelief that the man whose illegal and irresponsible actions contributed to his daughter's death – including speeding away from a legal traffic stop and failing to ensure she was wearing a seatbelt – did not result in charges against him.
Serious questions remain about why Mr. Goods was not charged and who made that decision. We intend to aggressively pursue answers to these questions.
We strongly believe that the verdict against former Trooper Baldner will have a chilling effect on law enforcement officers who must make split-second decisions while performing an incredibly difficult job. Troopers must have the support and training necessary to ensure they can fulfill their responsibility to protect and serve New Yorkers as safely as possible.
As we have said publicly on several occasions, we will continue to support former Trooper Baldner as he considers his legal options. And we will continue to keep you informed as this situation develops.
