NORWICH – In a hearing held Monday, a trial date was set for alleged murderer Ganesh R. Ramsaran, 38, New Berlin. Jury selection and the trial are scheduled for September 1, 2014.

In March, Ramsaran appeared in Chenango County Court on a motion to withdraw his defense counsel based on various factors. When addressing the court, Ramsaran said he would have new counsel secured and the paperwork filed within 24 hours.

According to his former attorneys, all files regarding the Ramsaran case are in impeccable condition and would be turned over to the new attorney.

Ramsaran’s new counsel, Mary Ann Kricko, is from Hackensack, New Jersey.

Ramsaran is facing the charge of murder in the second degree, a class A-I felony. It is alleged that Ramsaran is responsible for the death of his wife, Jennifer L. Ramsaran, in late 2012.

Jennifer Ramsaran was first reported missing by her husband the evening of Dec. 11, 2012.

According to a decision and order report from County Court Judge Frank Revoir, Jr., on Dec. 16, 2012, Jennifer’s vehicle was located parked at Plank Road Manor in Norwich, where DNA analysis later identified blood “throughout the vehicle” as belonging to Jennifer.

Her body was located months later, on Feb. 26, 2013, off an embankment near Center Road in the Town of Pharsalia, unclothed.

Onondaga County's Chief Medical Examiner performed the autopsy and for reasons that include degradation and decomposition of the body, he was not able to determine the cause of death.

A court report reads, “Circumstantial evidence was presented linking the defendant to the homicide.”

Ramsaran entered a not guilty plea when he was first arraigned in local court on May 17, 2013, and was remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility in lieu of $150,000 cash or $300,000 property. He posted bail and was released until he was indicted by a grand jury and arraigned in county court where he was remanded on $500,000 bail. He has since been in custody at the CCCF.

The prosecution has said throughout the process that they are ready to proceed. Various motions filed by Ramsaran’s former defense attorneys were denied by Chenango County Court Judge Frank B. Revoir Jr.

In Ramsaran’s March 2014 appearance where he addressed the court regarding his change of counsel he said, “What’s utterly upsetting is the District Attorney says they’re ready to proceed … I don’t understand why it would take five months to produce a pathology report. It’s an absolute travesty. It is ridiculous. It’s been almost a year.”

First Assistant District Attorney Stephen M. Dunshee said at the proceeding that he took exception to Ramsaran’s comments regarding discovery material.

Additionally, Revoir said there have been extensive discovery proceedings regarding the case.

According to Chenango County District Attorney Joseph McBride, Ramsaran is facing 25 years to life in prison if found guilty by the jury.