Newburgh man accused of stabbing mother, another female relative
Donnie Smith, 32, was arraigned in Newburgh City Court Monday wearing a white jumpsuit, and was shackled and handcuffed after what family tell News 12 was as a horrifying attack that left both women critically injured.
A City of Newburgh man is now charged with attempted murder and assault for allegedly stabbing his own mother and another female relative on Easter Sunday night.
Donnie Smith, 32, was arraigned in Newburgh City Court Monday wearing a white jumpsuit, and was shackled and handcuffed after what family tell News 12 was as a horrifying attack that left both women critically injured.
“{He} wasn’t supposed to be there and he has a lot of domestic issues,” says a relative, who asked not to be identified due to safety concerns.
A prosecutor with the Orange County District Attorney’s Office said in court that Smith is a three-time felon. The victims were identified during the proceeding as Lisa Williams and Janette Francis. Family say Francis is Smith’s mother and that the stabbings occurred inside her home on Dubois Street, across from St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital, in the City of Newburgh Sunday night.
Family say Francis was stabbed in the head and that both women were stabbed multiple times. Authorities have not released the nature of the women’s injuries or said what their conditions are.
Relatives allege family tried to get help for weeks from City of Newburgh police for escalating tensions between the mother and son about housing, after they say Francis told Smith he could not live with her after his recent release from prison. They say police were called to home Saturday after Smith allegedly threatened to stab his mother and was told to leave.
“Instead, we now have a situation that was bound to happen when you put two volatile people together in the same house,” says a family member.
Prosecutors say a grand jury will be reviewing Smith’s case on Friday. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment and is being held in Orange County Jail without bail.”
News 12 reached out to the City of Newburgh for information but hasn’t received a response.
