Santa Didn’t Create Naughty Cops List, But It’s Worth Checking Twice
by Douglas Ankney
The New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) has members who made the “naughty list” of the Bronx District Attorney’s Office. The heavily redacted list — obtained October 7, 2019 by the New York Post through a Freedom of Information Request — names 75 current and former officers, sergeants, lieutenants, and even captains of the NYPD who have given “questionable” testimony in criminal cases or had evidence tossed for “unconstitutional policing.” At least three cops — including a captain — were red-flagged for lying. And this comes on the heels of internal records obtained in May from the Manhattan DA’s Office that revealed red flags against 31 NYPD officers — five of whom testified in criminal cases.
Christopher Lopez and his partner, Steven Lopez, stopped a Hyundai because of a thin plastic frame around the edges of the license plate. Tyquan Williams was a passenger. The judge ruled that was not a lawful reason for the traffic stop and threw out Williams’ gun arrest. For the unlawful stop, Lopez and his partner were added to the naughty list.
Sabrina Alicea and Waikiria Velez made the list for making false statements about a car crash that left one victim brain-dead and another just plain dead.
Detective Winston McDonald reserved his spot on the list for lying about being robbed at knife point.
Former prosecutor Andrew Stengel from the Manhattan DA’s Office cheered the release of the list. “Releasing the list is a victory for transparency for people who have been arrested in Bronx County, but it doesn’t solve all the problems,” Stengel told the Post. “It’s a good step forward but by no means is this list comprehensive.”
The city’s police union slammed the Bronx DA’s prosecution record before verbally attacking the “anti-cop activists” who requested the lists to smear “honest, hard-working police officers.”
But when one lies under oath at trial, is he really “honest?” Santa would disagree.
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Source: nypost.com
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