DA: Man convicted in Saratoga Springs Caroline Street slashing; Faces up to 40 years

BALLSTON SPA – A man has been convicted in a 2021 slashing on Caroline Street, Saratoga County District Attorney’s officials said Monday.

He now faces up to 40 years in prison at his sentencing later, officials said.

Chalmers D. Davis, 44, originally of Schenectady, was convicted Friday of first-degree assault and other charges in connection with the Aug. 10, 2021 attack. Davis was described at the time of his arrest as a Saratoga Springs resident.

Davis nearly stabbed one man to death and came within inches of slashing another man’s throat following an alleged verbal dispute on Caroline Street, prosecutors said.

The victim survived the attack with the help of several good Samaritans and the quick response of the Saratoga Springs Police Department, prosecutors said. Officers immediately applied a tourniquet to the victim’s arm and EMS rushed him to Albany Medical Center for emergency surgery, saving his life.

Medical testimony showed the victim almost certainly would have bled to death without the quick and effective response, which was captured on body camera footage and shown to the jury, prosecutors said.

The jury rejected Davis’ claim that he was acting in self-defense, prosecutors said. The jury reviewed video evidence, along with testimony of eye-witnesses and law enforcement, prosecutors said.

Davis took the stand and conceded under cross examination that he was carrying a knife, attacked both victims and never saw either victim to be armed, but maintained he did nothing wrong, prosecutors said.

He is to be sentenced May 18.

“I have no doubt that without the quick response of the Saratoga Springs Police Department and their calm under pressure that this would have been a murder trial instead of an assault trial,” Saratoga County District Attorney Karen Heggen said in a statement. “We must thank them and the good Samaritans that night for the fact that both victims were able to walk into court and take the stand at trial.”

Assistant district attorneys Joseph Frandino and Samuel Maxwell prosecuted.

Categories: -News-, Saratoga County, Saratoga Springs, Schenectady