NYPD Officers Acquitted In Sodomy Case

[Jim Finnel]

Three New York City police officers have been acquitted of all charges in an alleged sodomy attack in a subway station.

The verdict came Monday. Officer Richard Kern faced as many as 25 years in prison on a charge of aggravated sexual abuse. Officers Andrew Morales and Alex Cruz faced up to four years in prison on charges of hindering prosecution.

Michael Mineo claimed Kern violated him with a police baton after he ran from cops inside a subway station Oct. 15, 2008. Mineo filed a $440 million lawsuit against the city.

Mineo, a body piercer who works in a tattoo parlor, spelled out his allegations in graphic terms.

"I'm embarrassed," the 24-year-old told reporters. "I didn't ask for this to happen to me. ... I'm a man. I was raped by four men who held me down and put a baton in my rectum. How am I supposed to feel?"

The suit against the city, NYPD and four officers alleges the patrolmen conspired to violate Mineo's rights on Oct. 15 with a "willfully malicious and vicious assault." It says the attack caused "extreme physical, mental and emotional harm and distress" and "exposed the plaintiff to public scandal and disgrace."

Prosecutors alleged that Kern and Morales spotted Mineo outside the subway station smoking marijuana. After they sought to stop him, he fled into the station, jumped a turnstile, ran toward the platform and hurdled another turnstile before he was pinned, handcuffed near a token booth and searched for drugs, they said.

With Mineo in a "helpless position" with his pants down, Kern took out a retractable baton and shoved it into the victim's buttocks, prosecutor said.

The baton pierced Mineo's underwear, tore his rectum and drew blood, they said.

To cover his tracks and with the other officers' knowledge, Kern wrote Mineo "a bogus summons" that was purposely backdated so it would be invalid, then warned him to keep quiet or face a felony, prosecutors said.

Police initially questioned Mineo's account and allowed the officers to stay on duty. But the case gained momentum in late October after Mineo's lawyers went public with his allegations and the district attorney launched a grand jury investigation.


NewsHawk: User: 420 Magazine - Cannabis Culture News & Reviews
Source: kdka.com
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Contact: KDKA - Pittsburgh's Source for Breaking News, Weather and Sports
Website: Richard Kern, Andrew Morales, Alex Cruz Cleared Of Sodomy Charge Against Michael Mineo - kdka.com

 

[Slowpuffer]

I can believe that he did it !! Rotten bastard !! But you see, he's a cop and he's walking free !! And ya wonder why we don't trust the police !! Ha !! Why were they messing with this dude in the 1st. place ??

 

[Steve McStoferson]

I remember reading about this story not too long ago. That's really sad that the cops got off free.. I wouldn't stop there, I would get another lawyer and get justice.

 

[Weed420]

Hard to believe when there was a cop that testified about the anal rape. He saw what took place and he testified about it. I think the issue is whether the guy was actually anal raped or whether just pressure was applied to his ass but with no penetration. I would hate to be the cop that testified to what he saw. He will need to leave the state and find a new job or the other cops will make sure he gets mugged in a dark alley and shot.

 

[Jim Finnel]

from a previous article:

Most of the testimony Thursday focused on a small hole in the back of the boxer shorts Mr. Mineo was wearing the day of the confrontation: he has said it was caused by Officer Kern's baton, but a forensic specialist who used to work for the Police Department testified that the baton could not have made the hole.

The specialist, Nicholas Petraco, who is now a consultant to the Police Department, said the hole looked as if it had been punched out by a hollow object, like a metal tube. The edges did not have evidence of pulling or tearing, and there was no flap left over, "as you would expect if it was punctured."

you don't think he might be prejudiced do ya???

 

[Roseman]

God will get them! They will never know peace!

 

[trekie]

Better be careful about talking about God on this site... I wonder what the jury reasons for the acquittal were... So where did the hole come from and why was his pants down during the arrest...? I hope these were answered in the trial... Who paid for the cops lawyers and specialists too...?

 

[Jim Finnel]

Better be careful about talking about God on this site...

whatcha mean? there is a forum devoted to religion as it relates to cannabis and an off topic forum where you can discuss god if you so choose. its like the old saying, "a place for everything and everything in its place". will everyone agree, of course not.

 

[sungoddess]

So where did the hole come from and why was his pants down during the arrest...? I hope these were answered in the trial... Who paid for the cops lawyers and specialists too...?

I was wondering the same things when I was reading this.

 

[honestone]

When a woman is raped the police don't believe her either. No man believes a woman when she cries rape. This time a man was anally. We should have more understanding and sympathy for all victims of rape as it is a violent crime.

 

[Weed420]

from a previous article:

Most of the testimony Thursday focused on a small hole in the back of the boxer shorts Mr. Mineo was wearing the day of the confrontation: he has said it was caused by Officer Kern's baton, but a forensic specialist who used to work for the Police Department testified that the baton could not have made the hole.

The specialist, Nicholas Petraco, who is now a consultant to the Police Department, said the hole looked as if it had been punched out by a hollow object, like a metal tube. The edges did not have evidence of pulling or tearing, and there was no flap left over, "as you would expect if it was punctured."


you don't think he might be prejudiced do ya???

You gotta love them impartial witnesses and experts.lol
It happens in every case. Its why I advocate that for a more fair judicial system, we need a simple law that states the defense gets to spend just as much money as the prosecution does on witnesses.