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Update: Road Rage: New York State Trooper Lester Hooper Busted After Writing Man 5 Bogus Traffic Tickets In Three Westchester Towns Without Having Pulled Him Over - After The Motorist Didn’t Pull Out Of Brooklyn Parking Spot Fast Enough
July 3rd, 2008
NEW YORK - A state trooper took road rage to a whole new level - writing up five phony traffic tickets to a Brooklyn man as payback after getting into a heated argument with him over a parking spot, authorities said yesterday.
Lester Hooper, 35, wrote the summonses - alleging traffic violations in three Westchester towns from Jan. 28 to Feb. 6 - without ever pulling over Derrick Perry, according to the Westchester County DA’s Office.
The sham tickets , featuring Perry’s name and license-plate number, were issued in retribution for a parking beef in Brooklyn, officials said.
The State Police Internal Affairs Bureau gave no details of the Jan. 26 quarrel - but Hooper’s lawyer, Pat Bonanno, would only say it involved “offensive” contact between Perry and Hooper’s wife.
Read MoreNew York Mafia Police Officer Louis Eppolito Sentenced To 18 Months In Federal Prison For Las Vegas Tax Case
July 3rd, 2008
LAS VEGAS, NEW YORK - A former New York police detective accused of moonlighting as a hit man for the mob has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for filing a false income tax return.
A U.S. District Court in Nevada also ordered Louis Eppolito to pay $102,000 in restitution.
Eppolito and another former New York detective were accused of participating in at least eight mob-related killings while working for the Luchese (loo-KAY’-see) crime family.
A New York jury found them guilty of a racketeering conspiracy responsible for multiple murders. A federal judge later ruled the statute of limitations had expired.
The decision is under appeal.
Eppolito has been in federal custody since he was arrested in Las Vegas in 2005.
Prosecutors say he received credit for time served in Tuesday’s sentencing. Appeared Here
Suffolk County New York Police Officer Daniel Koenig Files Lawsuit, Claiming Bullet Fragment Ricocheted Off Target Holder At Firearms Range And Hit His Leg
July 3rd, 2008
RIVERHEAD, NEW YORK - A police officer on Long Island has filed a lawsuit alleging that a bullet fragment that ricocheted off a target holder at a firearms range struck and injured him.
The suit filed by Suffolk County Police Officer Daniel Koenig names the county and Utah-based manufacturer Action Target.
Action Target president Tom Wright says the company is investigating the incident. He says the complaint is the first of its kind. County Attorney Christine Malafi says she will vigorously defend the police department.
Koenig was struck in the right calf by the bullet fragment in July 2007 during a close-quarter combat drill. He is on restricted duty. Appeared Here
Update: Yonkers New York Police Officer Wayne Simoes Finally Charged After Brutally Beating Innocent Unarmed Woman At Restaurant Last Year - Caught On Video
July 2nd, 2008
YONKERS, NEW YORK - A police officer who body-slammed an unarmed woman and broke her jaw during a medical call to a suburban restaurant last year was arrested by the FBI on Friday and charged with violating her civil rights.
Federal prosecutors said Yonkers police officer Wayne Simoes used excessive force when he grabbed the woman by the waist, hoisted her in the air and slammed her, face first, into a tile floor.
The takedown, recorded by security cameras, knocked Irma Marquez unconscious and put her in the hospital for four days.
At the time, authorities said the officer was trying to keep the woman from interfering with emergency medical technicians summoned to the restaurant to assist her niece, who had been hit in the head with a bottle.
Story continues below
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Norwich Connecticut Police Officer Michael Blanchette Gets A Special Plea Deal And Tiny Slap On The Wrist After His Arrest At Heroin Dealer’s Home In New York City
July 1st, 2008
NORWICH, CONNECTICUT - Norwich Police Officer Michael Blanchette pleaded guilty Monday to the charge of disorderly conduct in connection with his arrest in Bronx, N.Y. in May, according to court officials.
Blanchette, 42, was ordered to pay a $100 fine.
On May 16, Blanchette was arrested, along with his brother Anothony Blanchette, 29, at the residence of a suspected heroin dealer in the Bronx.
Michael Blanchette was charged with seventh-degree possession of a controlled substance. His brother, Anthony, faces felony drug possession charges.
Michael Blanchette is the focus of an internal investigation still ongoing at the department. He has since applied for retirement. Appeared Here
New York State Police Trooper Lester C. Hooper Arrested, Suspended, Charged After Writing 5 Bogus Traffic Tickets To Individual He Never Stopped As Payback For Parking Dispute Two Days Earlier
July 1st, 2008
WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NEW YORK - The New York State Police has arrested Trooper Lester C. Hooper, following a joint investigation with the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office. The arrest came after a three-month investigation into allegations that Hooper falsely issued five traffic tickets in three different jurisdictions to a subject he never stopped.
The investigation revealed that Trooper Hooper issued these tickets to the complainant as retribution for a parking dispute that happened two days before he issued the tickets.
Trooper Hooper is being charged in Westchester County with three counts of offering a false instrument for filing, a felony, three counts of issuing a false certificate also a felony and three counts of official misconduct a misdemeanor.
Trooper Hooper joined the State Police in February 2005 and he was assigned to Troop T on the Thruway at Tarrytown. Trooper Hooper was immediately suspended without pay, pending the outcome of the ongoing criminal investigation. Appeared Here
US Addiction To Incarceration Puts 2.3 Million In Prison - Our Tax Dollars At Work
June 30th, 2008
NEW YORK, NEW YORK -For years, the United States has held the dubious distinction of incarcerating more people and at a higher rate than any other peacetime nation in the world. Yet its appalling addiction to incarceration continues. According to statistics released today by the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics (Prisoners in 2005), the number of US residents behind bars has now reached more than 2.3 million. The rate of incarceration has risen to 491 sentenced inmates per 100,000 US residents, up from 411 a decade ago. Four states – Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Oklahoma – have incarceration rates of more than 650 per 100,000, with Louisiana soaring above all other states with the astonishing rate of 797.
Read MoreWestchester County New York District Attorney Janet DiFiore Botched Handling Of Case Where Yonkers Police Officer Wayne Simoes Brutally Beat Woman At Restaurant
June 30th, 2008
WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NEW YORK - Westchester County’s district attorney admitted that her office mishandled the case of a Yonkers police officer who was captured on camera body-slamming a woman during an arrest.
D.A. Janet DiFiore said her office was not aware of the tape.
It shows officer Wayne Simoes throwing Irma Marquez to the floor at a Yonkers restaurant last year.
Marquez suffered a fractured jaw and a concussion. She was later acquitted, and now has an $11 million lawsuit pending against the Yonkers Police Department.
An internal investigation cleared Simoes, but he now faces federal civil rights charges.
On Saturday, Westchester officials met with concerned citizens and the Rev. Al Sharpton to discuss the relationship between the police department and the community.
Security Guard And Medical Workers Ignored Woman Dying On Floor In Kings County New York Hospital - Caught On Video
June 30th, 2008
KINGS COUNTY, NEW YORK - A shocking video shows a woman dying on the floor in the psych ward at Kings County Hospital, while people around her, including a security guard, did nothing to help.
After an hour, another mental patient finally got the attention of the indifferent hospital workers, according to the tape, obtained by the Daily News.
Worse still, the surveillance tape suggests hospital staff may have falsified medical charts to cover the utter lack of treatment provided Esmin Green before she died.
“Thank God for the videotape because no one would have believed this could have happened,” said Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union.
“There’s a clear possibility of criminal wrongdoing with regard to recordkeeping, and that has to be investigated.”
The city Department of Investigation is part of a sweeping probe that has brought some changes to the ward known as G Building.
Read MoreFive Police Brutality Lawsuits Charge More Than A Dozen Yonkers New York Police Officers With Beatings, Unlawful Imprisonment, And Sexual Degradation
June 29th, 2008
YONKERS, NEW YORK - A Bronx law firm recently filed five police-brutality lawsuits against the city, one of them seeking more than $6 million in damages.
Plaintiffs in the five lawsuits allege beatings, unlawful imprisonment and sexual degradation at the hands of more than a dozen Yonkers police officers in five unrelated incidents last year. Patsy Gouldborne & Associates filed the five suits beginning May 1 in state Supreme Court in White Plains.
Attorney Richard St. Paul represents the plaintiffs, some of whom have criminal histories.
“Despite whatever a person’s history is, they have the right not to be abused,” said St. Paul, who is also a New Rochelle city councilman and an attorney involved in the voting-rights case brought by the Department of Justice against Port Chester.
Read MoreBogus Murder Conviction Tossed After Man Spent 13 Years In Prison - He Was Watching TV When Another Man Committed Murder - Confession From Killer
June 29th, 2008
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - A Queens man who spent about 13 years behind bars has had his murder conviction tossed out after his lawyers obtained a confession from another man.
A judge ordered a retrial Friday for 40-year-old Kareem Bellamy, who was convicted of stabbing James Abbott to death in 1994.
Bellamy’s lawyers say they obtained a confession from a man who claims he killed Abbott over a woman.
Prosecutors say they will appeal the judge’s decision.
Bellamy had been sentenced to 25 years to life. His father says Bellamy was watching “Soul Train” with him when the slaying took place.
Bellamy’s case was aired on Court TV.
Surveillance Video Catches Lying New York City Undercover Police Officers Dancing In Street, Framing 4 Innocent Men On Bogus Drug Charges
June 28th, 2008
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - Undercover police officers who arrested four men on drug charges are under investigation after surveillance video proved the men they arrested committed no crime.
Drug charges against brothers Jose Colon and Maximo Colon, along with two of their friends have been dropped.
The undercover NYPD officers are seen on video dancing in the street, then attempting to frame four innocent men.
“I asked police officer why are you arresting me,” said Maximo Colon. “Never did I get an answer.”
The investigators swore under oath they bought drugs from the four men. Jose and Maximo colon say that didn’t happen.
“The cops are supposed to help us,” said a shaken Jose Colon.
Defense lawyers say the surveillance cameras proved their clients were framed.
“It was nauseating,” said defense lawyer Rochelle Berliner.
Read MoreYonkers New York Police Officer Wayne Simoes Charged By Feds After Brutally Beating Unarmed Woman During A Medical Call To A Restaurant - Caught On Video
June 28th, 2008
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - A police officer who body-slammed an unarmed woman and broke her jaw during a medical call to a suburban restaurant last year was arrested Friday and charged with civil rights violations.
Federal prosecutors said Yonkers officer Wayne Simoes used excessive force when he grabbed the woman by the waist, hoisted her in the air and slammed her, face first, into a tile floor.
The takedown, recorded March 3, 2007, by security cameras, knocked Irma Marquez unconscious and put her in the hospital for four days. At the time, authorities said the officer was trying to keep her from interfering with emergency medical technicians summoned to the restaurant to assist her niece, who had been hit in the head with a bottle.
Simoes, 38, said little Friday during his arraignment. A magistrate released him on bond. His attorney, Andrew Quinn, said Simoes intends to plead not guilty.
“I’ve also seen the video, and I know what it shows. But what the video doesn’t show is the operation of Wayne Simoes’ mind at the time of this incident,” Quinn said. He said Simoes didn’t intend to violate the woman’s rights or “cause any type of injury.”
Simoes could get years in prison if convicted. The Yonkers Police Department said it had placed him on modified duty pending the outcome of the case.
Despite the nature of Marquez’s injuries, which included a broken jaw and bruises over her entire face, law enforcement authorities initially sided with the officer.
Read MoreFormer Lake Placid And Saranac Lake New York Police Officer Peter C. Kunath Receives Less Than A Slap On The Wrist From Schenectady County Judge Karen Drago After Sex With An 8 Year Old Girl
June 28th, 2008
SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK — A former police officer from Essex County will spend 10 years on probation after he admitted having sexual relations with an 8-year-old girl.
Peter C. Kunath, 62, of Queensbury admitted he had sexual conduct with the girl at two locations in Glenville, Schenectady County, in summer 2007.
Kunath was a police officer with Lake Placid and Saranac Lake village police departments from the 1970s through the 1980s.
He later became an State Environmental Conservation Police officer and retired as an EnCon investigator.
He pleaded guilty to felony first-degree sexual abuse of a child under the age of 11.
Under the terms of a plea agreement, Kunath must stay away from the girl until 2018 or he faces four years in state prison for violating probation.
Schenectady County Judge Karen Drago sentenced Kunath to 40 days time served and 10 years on probation. She also ordered him to register as a sex offender.
Read MoreNew York City Police Assault And Detain Building Superintendent Who Was Chasing A Burglar
June 26th, 2008
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - An alleged New York City burglar nearly got away clean after he yelled for help, causing two police officers to tackle the super of the building instead.
Police sources told the New York Post the Manhattan Community College officers grabbed Bobby Gardocki as Gardocki was chasing the suspect, who was screaming that a “crazy guy” was trying to kill him.
“The guy was yelling at no one in particular, ‘Stop this crazy guy. He’s trying to kill me!’” said Gardocki, who admitted he did look a little strange since he was chasing the guy in his pajamas.
A building tenant happened upon the scene and quickly convinced the officer they had the wrong man. The suspect, Michael Estrada of Queens, was picked up a short distance away and charged with stealing $3,000 in jewelry from an apartment. Appeared Here
Victim Of U.S. Government’s Witness Protection Program Has Had Enough, Wants His Old Identity Back - Government Never Came Up With Simple Documents, Like A Birth Certificate Or Social Security Number, So He Hasn’t Been Able To Register A Car Or File Taxes In Past 13 Years
June 26th, 2008
NEW YORK - Pappy Andrews wants his identity back. He gave it up more than a decade ago after helping federal agents break up a right-wing militia in Phoenix. Because he had put his life on the line and there were fears the militia or its friends might harm him, the federal government gave him a new identity.
But now, Andrews, 49, is tired of hiding and wants his old life back.
“I’ve done nothing illegal, and I’ve lost more than 13 years. I’m so far below zero that a newly arriving immigrant has more rights than me,” Andrews said. “I walked away from my children in order to keep them safe. The militia movement and its friends have a code for dealing with spies: kill them.”
Patrick “Pappy” Andrews is the name he took while on the run.
Read MoreFormer Syracuse New York Police Officer George A. Bush Arrested, Charged With Drunk Driving And Crack Cocaine
June 26th, 2008
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - A former Syracuse police officer was arrested early this morning in the village of Phoenix.
George A. Bush, 55, of 812 Spencer St., Syracuse, had crack cocaine in his possession when a village police officer pulled him over about 3:30 a.m. at Main and Volney streets, Phoenix police Chief Rod Carr said.
Bush was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of cocaine, third-degree bribery of a public servant and driving while intoxicated, all felonies; and seventh-degree criminal possession of cocaine, DWI-drugs and third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, all misdemeanors. Bush also was issued traffic tickets charging him with failing to signal and unsafe lane change.
“This should show folks that we treat everyone the same, whether they wore a badge or not, and that police are human. We put our pants on one leg at a time, just like everyone else. We’re not super human,” Carr said. “We’re all human beings and we have free will. And it depends on what you do with that free will to make the right choices in life.”
Read MoreMan Found Not Guilty Of Public Pissing After Grilling Portsmouth New Hampshire Poice Officer Aaron Stacy About Lack Of DNA Evidence From Urine Puddle
June 25th, 2008
PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Following a Tuesday trial when he called for DNA evidence from a urine puddle, a Rochester man was found not guilty of a violation-level charge of urinating in public.
Michael Huppe, 56, of 44 Forest Park Drive, was found not guilty by Judge Sawako Gardner, who offered no explanation for the verdict beyond “not guilty.” Her decision was released Wednesday.
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Huppe was cited April 2 when police alleged he relieved himself in a parking lot between the Bowl-O-Rama bowling alley and an adjacent movie theater. Officer Aaron Stacy testified he saw Huppe and another man urinating next to a pair of sport utility vehicles and upon closer inspection saw “two fresh puddles of urine flowing” in his direction.
Representing himself at trial, Huppe fired a colorful line of questions at the officer including, “Did you see me take my thing out and urinate?” and “Did you test DNA to see if it was my urine?”
Read MoreFormer New York City Prosecutor Says He Did The Right Thing And Intentionally Helped Defense Overturn Murder Convictions - Was Ordered By Manhattan District Attorney’s Office To Defend Conviction Of Men He Believed To Be Innocent After 2 Year Post-Conviction Investigation
June 24th, 2008
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - A former New York prosecutor says he intentionally helped defense attorneys win a high-profile murder case because he believed the defendants were innocent.
After a two-year investigation into the convictions of two men for the shooting death of a bouncer outside a New York nightclub, Daniel Bibb said he told his superiors at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office that he believed the men were innocent.
The veteran prosecutor told ABC News that despite his findings, he was ordered to defend the case anyway in a court hearing.
The story was first reported Monday by the New York Times.
“I said if you’re going to make me do the hearing, you’re not going to like what you get,” Bibb, who is now in private practice, told ABC News.
Read MoreInnocent Reporter Falsely Targeted By A Dumb Blonde At New York Airport For Taking A Vitamin, Assaulted By A Cop And Searched
June 22nd, 2008
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - “So. Turns out, I’m the security threat,” I told my editor, calling him from my airline seat. The police with their assault rifles had left, along with the cop who moments before had shoved me against a jetway wall.
Like many regular fliers, I have a finely honed security routine. Lotions and hand sanitizer in the little plastic bag. Laptop in a form-fitting case for X-ray adventures. My shoes almost untie themselves.
But I found there are still things you can’t predict. More than half a dozen years after Sept. 11, 2001, little may prevent an innocent traveler from becoming an imagined threat.
On June 16, I flew JetBlue from New York to Las Vegas to report on a telecommunications conference.
It was the day after Father’s Day. I had my 3-year-old son in my thoughts and the gift of a blue tie in my luggage.
Read MoreFormer Mamaroneck New York Police Officer Peter Persaud Arrested, Charged With Running Prostitution Operation Out Of A Ulster County Massage Parlor - Previously Sued Town For Racial Discrimination After Being Caught Sleeping While On Duty
June 19th, 2008
MARLBOROUGH, NEW YORK - A former Mamaroneck police officer who had sued the town claiming racial discrimination was accused of running a prostitution operation out of a massage parlor in Ulster County.
Peter Persaud, 42, was arrested last week by Marlborough police and charged with promoting prostitution in the third degree, a felony. The Fishkill man is accused of operating a business called Body and Soul, which advertised “body work” but instead charged $175 for half hour with a prostitute, police said.
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The business is in a commercial suite at the Village Square Mall in Marlboro. It advertised its services on Internet sites like Craigslist, MySpace and the classified section of area newspapers. The Internet sites included photographs of women that were allegedly available.
Persaud is also expected to face a felony charge of unlicensed massage therapy, police said.
In 1998 Persaud sued the Mamaroneck Police Department claiming officials there had denied him assignments and promotions in favor of white officers and subjected him to derogatory treatment. Persaud is of Indian origin; his family came from Guyana.
Read MoreFormer New York Corrections Officer, Maryland Police Officer And Security Guard, Texas Deputy Sheriff, And Military Police Officer Paul D’Adamo Assigned The Highest Sex Offender Status After Rape Of 11 Year Old Girl And Molesting Her Younger Sister - To Be Turned Loose On The Streets In 2 Months
June 19th, 2008
TROY, NEW YORK - A former police officer has been assigned the highest sex offender status for his conviction ten years ago for raping an 11-year-old girl.
Paul D’Adamo of East Greenbush admitted in August 1998 to attempted rape and rape in the case. According to court documents, the abuse continued for about a year. D’Adamo also admitted to molesting the girl’s younger sister but was never charged in that case.
A required risk assessment hearing was held Wednesday in anticipation of D’Adamo’s scheduled release from prison in August. He was assigned a level three status, which denotes a likelihood of repeat behavior.
D’Adamo served in the military police with the Coast Guard and the Air Force. He also served as a sheriff’s deputy in Texas, a Maryland police officer and a security guard. At the time of his arrest, he was a New York state corrections officer. Appeared Here
Former Seneca County New York Undersheriff Paroled After Serving Only 4 Months Of 21 Month Sentence For Theft, Stolen Property, And Misconduct
June 18th, 2008
SENECA COUNTY, NEW YORK - A former Seneca County undersheriff has been granted parole after serving four months in jail.
A state parole spokesperson told R News that James Larson was granted a conditional release after filing a request with the state parole board.
Larson pleaded guilty in February and had been sentenced to 21 months in prison. He was charged with grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property and official misconduct.
He was one of several members of the Seneca County Sheriff’s Department accused of stealing from the department. Four other deputies were also charged in the case.
Former Sheriff Leo Connolly awaits trial in August on several felony counts
Greece New York Police Officer Sgt. Nicholas Joseph Linked To Hit And Run, Pregnant Woman Delivering Child Prematurely
June 18th, 2008
GREECE, NEW YORK - A Greece police officer is being investigated for what authorities say is his role in a hit and run accident.
Authorities tell R News that Greece Police Sergeant Nicholas Joseph was off-duty and driving on Interstate 390 June 7 when he allegedly hit another car stalled on the expressway.
Authorities say Joseph walked away from the scene.
Investigators say a pregnant woman driving the car that was struck was rushed to the hospital and had to deliver her child prematurely.
State police and the Monroe County District Attorney’s office continue to investigate. Joseph was injured in the crash. Authorities say he is now on sick leave.
Greece Police is conducting its own internal investigation of the incident.
Charge Added Against Mount Kisco Police Officer George Bubaris For The Beating Death Of An Illegal Alien - Slap On The Wrist In The Works?
June 16th, 2008
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK - A Westchester County judge has given jurors another option to consider this week as they decide the fate of a former policeman accused of killing an illegal immigrant.
State Supreme Court Justice Lester Adler has granted the prosecution’s request to add criminally negligent homicide to the more serious charge of second-degree manslaughter. If the jurors decide George Bubaris is not guilty of manslaughter, they can consider the negligent-homicide charge.
The manslaughter charge carries a sentence of up to five to 15 years in prison. Negligent homicide’s top sentence is 16 months to three years.
Bubaris is accused of killing drunken Guatemalan Rene Perez with a blow to his abdomen in April 2007. The case is expected to go to the jury on Tuesday.
New York City Corrections Officer William Walsh Pleads Guilty After Payroll Scheme
June 16th, 2008
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - District Attorney Robert Johnson Sunday announced that a New York City Correction Officer has admitted that he wrongfully collected over two thousand dollars in paid leave from his job on Rikers Island.
Johnson said that William Walsh, 47, of Coram, New York, pled guilty to one count of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the 2nd degree, a Class D felony offense.
The guilty plea was entered before Acting State Supreme Court Justice Steven Barrett who set sentencing for Monday, September 15, 2008. Under terms of the plea agreement, Walsh must make full restitution to the NYC Department of Correction in the amount of $2,016 by the day of sentencing. Justice Barrett has indicated that once restitution is made Walsh will be given a Conditional Discharge.
Read MoreGlens Falls New York Hospital Stuck Housing Child Sex Offender With No Home For 5 Months Due To State Laws
June 15th, 2008
GLENS FALLS, NEW YORK - Keith Shortsleeves knew he was going to have to stay in Glens Falls Hospital for at least a few weeks when he checked in on Jan. 20 for diabetes-related problems.
Circulation problems required partial amputation of his left leg.
But within a few weeks, Shortsleeves had recovered to the point he was ready to be discharged.
“I thought I’d just be going home,” he said.
Nearly five months later, Shortsleeves is still in the hospital, despite the fact he is no longer in need of treatment there.
The hospital’s staff won’t let him go because he doesn’t have a home that meets his needs for post-hospital care, he said during an interview in his room last week.
He is a Level 3 sex offender who can’t go back to his former apartment in Fort Edward because of handicapped accessibility issues, but can’t find an accessible apartment anywhere else because of laws that dictate where sex offenders can live.
Read MoreRikers Island New York Corrections Officer Nicholas Zito Gets A Special Plea Deal And Pleads Guilty After Switching Off Video Camera While Another Officer Was Beating An Inmate
June 14th, 2008
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - Prosecutors say a Rikers Island jail officer has admitted turning off a surveillance camera so it wouldn’t capture a fellow officer punching an inmate.
The Bronx district attorney’s office said Friday that Correction Officer Nicholas Zito pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of attempted official misconduct.
The name of Zito’s lawyer wasn’t immediately available. Representatives for Zito’s union haven’t immediately returned a telephone call.
Authorities say Zito disabled the camera before another officer’s attack on an inmate in October 2005. They say the assault was payback for a different inmate’s slashing of another officer.
Prosecutors say the 35-year-old received a conditional discharge, meaning the charges will be dismissed if he stays out of trouble for a certain period. They say he hasn’t lost his job but may be disciplined. Appeared Here
New York City Corrections Officer William Walsh Admits To Payroll Scam, Wrongfully Collecting Over $2,000
June 13th, 2008
NEW YORK, NEW YORK — A New York City corrections officer admitted Friday that he wrongfully collected over $2,000 in paid leave from his job on Rikers Island, the Bronx district attorney said.
William Walsh, 47, of Coram, N.Y., pleaded guilty to criminal second-degree possession of a forged instrument.
Walsh entered his plea before Acting State Supreme Court Justice Steven Barrett and is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 15.
Officials said the plea agreement requires Walsh to pay back $2,016 to the New York City Department of Corrections by the time of his sentencing.
Barrett indicated he would sentence Walsh to a conditional discharge once he makes full restitution, officials said.
Walsh was arrested in June 2007 and charged with multiple felony offenses following a joint investigation by the New York City Department of Investigation and the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, officials said.
Read MoreFelony Convictions Reduced After New York Court Of Appeals Rules That Marijuana In Prison Isn’t The “Dangerous” Countraband” Prison Officals Want To Think It Is
June 13th, 2008
ALBANY, NEW YORK - New York’s top court says small amounts of marijuana in prison do not represent “dangerous contraband” under the law and ordered lower courts to reduce two convictions to misdemeanors with shorter sentences.
According to the Court of Appeals, Kyle Salters’ case involved 9.3 grams of marijuana that his girlfriend tried to bring him at Bare Hill Correctional Facility in 2003. Robert Finley had “three joints” in 2004 at Orleans Correctional Facility. Both were convicted of felonies, with Salters sentenced to two to four years and Finley to three to five years.
The court majority says the test for “dangerous contraband” is its likelihood to be used in a way that causes death, injury, escape or “other major threats” to prison safety or security. Appeared Here
New York State Judge Orders Governor, State, And Assembly To Raise All State Judge’s Pay In 90 Days Or Less - Judge Looks Out For His Own Kind
June 13th, 2008
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - A state judge has ordered the governor, Senate and Assembly to raise the pay of all the state’s judges within the next 90 days.
Manhattan state Supreme Court Justice Edward H. Lehner said in a decision Wednesday that the defendants had unconstitutionally abused their power by depriving the judges of a pay hike for almost 10 years.
Lehner noted that the judges have been denied a pay hike because state legislators linked a judicial salary increase to one for themselves. He said this linkage is illegal.
He ordered the state to raise judicial pay to reflect the amount the cost of living has jumped since 1998. He also told the state to consider an appropriate provision for retroactivity. He did not suggest any amounts.
The governor’s office was exploring its legal options after the judge’s ruling, spokesman Errol Cockfield said.
Read MoreRockland County New York Deputy Sheriff Dennis Stoll Vows They’ll Search River “The Rest Of The Summer” For Investor Who May Not Have Jumped From Bridge - Bonus: Security Cameras Can’t Tell A Car From A Truck
June 13th, 2008
ROCKLAND COUNTY, NEW YORK - He’s wanted for bilking his former clients out of hundreds of millions of dollars.
But did Samuel Israel III kill himself or fake his own death to escape a 20-year prison sentence? That’s what authorities in New York are trying to figure out after he disappeared this week.
Israel, who co-founded Bayou Hedge Fund, pleaded guilty in 2005 of stealing more than $450 million from his clients. For the past three years, he’s been out on bail and cooperating with prosecutors to help them recover some of the money.
He was supposed to report to prison Monday in Massachusetts to begin a 20-year sentence. Police said Israel left his home in Armonk, New York, about an hour outside Manhattan, about 9 a.m. and told his live-in girlfriend, “I’m driving to prison.”
Read MoreNew York City Fire Department EMT Scott Desimone Charged After Hit And Run Accident That Killed Pedestrian
June 13th, 2008
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK - Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore announced that Scott Desimone (DOB 04/03/73) of 322 Ft. Washington Avenue, Hawthorne, New York was arraigned today on one count of Leaving the Scene of an Accident resulting in Death, a class “D” Felony.
On March 1, 2008 in the area of Saw Mill River Road and Hunter Lane, the defendant, operating his rented 2008 Mazda Tribute struck the victim, Manuel Guaman Saca, who was walking on the side of Saw Mill River Road/Route 9A in Greenburgh.
The victim was struck by the hood and right fender of the defendant’s vehicle.
The defendant continued to drive his vehicle away from the scene without stopping to render assistance or to provide the required information and the defendant failed to report the accident to the nearest police station as soon as he was physically able to do so.
Read MoreNew York State Police Investigate Evidence Handled By State Forensic Scientist After His Suicide Amid Audit Of State Crime Lab - Prosecutors Notified That Cases That May Be Affected
June 13th, 2008
ALBANY, NEW YORK - State police are reviewing evidence handled by a recently retired forensic scientist who committed suicide last month, and have notified prosecutors about cases that may be affected.
The scientist, Gary Veeder, retired from the state police crime laboratory May 7 after 31 years, and was still on the payroll when he was found dead at his home in suburban Albany.
The suicide followed an audit of the crime lab where the 59-year-old Veeder worked. The results have not been made public.
State police spokesman Lt. Glenn Miner said Wednesday all of Veeder’s work is under review and district attorneys are being advised when investigators come across cases in which he was involved.
“So far none of the evidence in the cases we’ve reviewed has been found inaccurate or incorrect,” Miner said Wednesday.
Read MorePoughkeepsie New York Police Issue APB For “Small, Uppity Dog”
June 12th, 2008
POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK - A woman was walking her pit bull around noon in the northern section of Waryas Park Wednesday, when she was approached by a small-breed dog, possibly a Jack Russell terrier, City of Poughkeepsie Police said.
The woman tried to get between the small dog and her own dog and was bitten by the small dog. The dog was possibly with a young white boy, possibly 11-12 years old. The dog was unleashed.
The police department is trying to identify the dog to determine if it is up-to-date with its rabies vaccinations. Anyone with information concerning this incident is asked to call city police at 845-451-4000. Appeared Here
Ulster County New York Deputy Sheriff Jeffrey P. Geskie Arrrested, Quits, Charged After Sex With A Teen Girl In Exchange For Her Freedom
June 10th, 2008
KINGSTON, NEW YORK - An Ulster County sheriff’s deputy resigned on Tuesday after being charged with accepting a bribe in the form of a sexual act from a 17-year-old female.
Following an investigation by the state police, Jeffrey P. Geskie, 27, of Russell Road, Hurley was charged with receiving a bribe and committing a criminal sexual act, both felonies, as well as a misdemeanor charge of official misconduct.
Geskie resigned his post after the charges were filed, police said.
State police said Geskie engaged in the sex act with the female in the High Falls area early Monday morning in exchange for not filing charges of trespassing and other violations against the girl.
Capt. Wayne Olson said the investigation was initiated by the victim, who called police shortly after the incident. State police then contacted the Sheriff’s Office, which cooperated fully, Olson said.
Read MoreNew York State Police Single Out Motorcycles, Harrass Riders
June 9th, 2008
NEW YORK - State police stopped and inspected 123 bikers heading up the Adirondack Northway, issuing 48 tickets at a safety checkpoint Friday.
Heading into the weekend leading to the Americade motorcycle rally at Lake George, the checkpoint for northbound riders lasted a few hours at the I-87 rest area in Queensbury.
Police said they issued 15 tickets for unapproved helmets, 9 for illegal exhaust pipes, 4 for unlicensed operators and 20 for other violations.
More than 50,000 people are expected at Americade, which runs Monday through Saturday. A checkpoint for southbound traffic is planned as the rally ends.
At the same time, police issued 22 speeding tickets and 7 summonses for failure to wear a seatbelt to other motorists. Appeared Here
New York State Police Plan To Target And Harass Bikers Traveling To Americade Rally
June 9th, 2008
ALBANY, NEW YORK - With motorcycle registrations and rider deaths rising sharply, state police planned to stop bikers heading to and from the upcoming Americade rally in the southern Adirondacks to make sure they have decent helmets and the right licenses.
Motorcyclists in New York are required to wear helmets that meet federal Department of Transportation standards. Sgt. Jim Halvorsen said DOT stickers are easy to come by, and they won’t prevent getting a ticket for a so-called “skid lid” that provides little protection.
“You may as well wear your baseball cap,” Halvorsen said, holding up a black shell with little padding inside. “I’ve seen knit caps with the DOT label on the back.”
A mandatory motorcycle checkpoint began Friday afternoon on the Adirondack Northway in Queensbury, 40 miles north of Albany, on the eve of Americade. Troopers planned another next week for southbound I-87 traffic near the close of the rally, which is expected to draw more than 50,000 riders from around the country to Lake George from Monday through Saturday.
Read MoreInternet Troll Alert: Disgraced And Discredited North Country Gazette Blogger June Maxam Reports One Of Her Few Blog Readers To His ISP For Searches On Her Little Site (Updated, Another Reader Blocked) (Update 2, More eMail Leaks)
June 6th, 2008
CHESTERTOWN, NEW YORK - Disgraced and discredited blogger June Maxam has reported one of her readers to his ISP for searches on her little blog… Obsessed as Her Majesty is with her visitor log files, evidently something popped up that displeased Maxam.
[06/08/08: Another North Country Gazette reader reports being blocked, says she's local (New York), a (now-former) daily reader, and was blocked within a day of searching for "June Maxam" on Google and clicking on a link to the North Country Gazette. The reader says she's never used the search box on Maxam's site. She says that she went back to Google, followed one of the many links to Bad Cop News, and now knows what "...Maxam's all about...", saying that things "...always seemed kind of strange..." with respect to the (failed) North Country Gazette newspaper and website.]
[06-11-08: We just heard that mailfiles identified as containing Maxam's Ez Web server account mail are circulating with 'northco2' appearing in the file name. Sorry, we of course don't have 'em, so don't ask.]
For those not familiar with Maxam’s many missteps on the information superhighway, she’s an internet troll who takes pleasure in attacking and threatening others online. Maxam’s thinks she’s always right and a genius - while everyone else is always wrong and stupid. Maxam’s virtual droppings are scattered across the internet, as is whatever standing and reputation she began with.
Read MoreNew York State Supreme Court Upholds Removal Of Nutcase Niagara Falls City Judge Robert Restaino After He Jailed Courtroom Full Of People When A Cellphone Rang
June 5th, 2008
ALBANY, NEW YORK - New York’s top court has upheld the removal of a Niagara Falls city court judge who jailed 46 people after no one would own up to a cell phone that rang in court.
The state Commission on Judicial Conduct concluded in a November decision that Judge Robert Restaino “snapped” during the March 2005 session. It voted 9-1 for his removal.
Restaino was hearing domestic violence cases when the phone rang. He released everyone