Story by Ethan
On December 30th, 2025, the arrest of Jasper Mills, a defense attorney from Albany County, was announced by New York Attorney General Letita James. Jasper Mills was charged with first and second-degree Tampering with a Witness, first and second-degree Intimidating a Witness, and second-degree Criminal Contempt. The arrest and charges against Jasper Mills were a result of an investigation handled by the New York State Police.
According to the New York Attorney General’s Office, Jasper Mills was retained by Vramir Branch to represent him for the 2021 gang-related murder of 32-year-old Shanita Thomas. The Albany County District Attorney’s Office applied for two protective orders against Vramir Branch, the final one being issued by Judge Roger McDonough on October 27th, 2022. These orders prohibited Jasper Mills from handing over any documents listing any information about witnesses, due to the fear of gang-related activity being taken against the witnesses. On June 3rd, 2024, during a pretrial-conference, Judge Roger McDonough ordered from the Albany District Attorney’s Office a witness list containing the two cooperating witnesses the prosecutors needed to contact for trial. Later that night the Assistant District Attorney emailed all defense attorneys involved in the case, including Jasper Mills, the list containing both witnesses and noting one of them was federally incarcerated. In addition to the witness list was a copy of the protective orders with a reminder to all defense attorneys to not give their clients any copies of the list or the information on it.
On April 8th, 2024, Jasper Mills delivered a hard drive to Vramir Branch at the Albany County Correctional Facility. The hard drive allegedly contained several documents that Jasper Mills was not allowed to share with his client that included information and quotes from various eyewitnesses used for search warrant affidavits. On June 5th, 2024, the cooperating witness, who was incarcerated into the general public in Lake Placcid, New York, was approached by several gang members on the street. The inmates were armed and threatened to kill the witness if he didn’t leave their housing unit now that they knew he had “turned state witness”. After being threatened the witness was placed in protective custody by a correction lieutenant. Investigation into the incident and leaked information led to discovering a copy of the witness list with Jasper Mills’ distinct markings being posted on social media. Copies of the witness list circulated on Snapchat and through text messages despite the protective orders barring Jasper Mills from providing any hard copies of the witness list to anyone. On September 8th, 2024, while still under protective custody the witness was attacked again by individuals saying they knew he was a witness. The cooperator was attacked with a prison shiv that slashed his wrist, requiring hospitalization to treat the infected wound.
The New York Attorney General’s Office stated that the charges against Jasper Mills are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
