Bad Seeds in the Big Apple

Given the large number of people that work for the City of New York, it's inevitable that some will be charged with crimes in any given year. The New York Post, however, is highlighting some of the more noteworthy crimes committed by city workers in today's paper. They range from the relatively benign (a schoolteacher getting busted for smoking weed before heading into a show at the Beacon Theater) to the more serious (a drunk driver who hit a fireman assisting a driver, and a man who murdered his ex-fianceé.)

One of the arrested City employees fingered in the Post's story is Anthony Vasquez. Vasquez is an NYPD officer who was arrested last month for ramming another car in the Bronx and threatening its driver with his gun. He's been charged in the past with shooting a neighbor's dog, pulling his gun in a bar, and allegedly threatening his common-law wife. New Yorkers with long memories might remember Vasquez as the cop who shot Patrick Dorismond, a Hatian immigrant.

While not as well-remembered as the killing by police of Amadou Diallo or the assault of Abner Louima, the death of Patrick Dorismond was a flash point in NYC politics during 2000. Dorismond was an unarmed security guard that Vasquez shot to death while on duty. Quick to back the NYPD following the man's death , Rudy Giuliani blurted out at a press conference that Dorismond had a record and convictions as a juvenile––information that was legally sealed––and critics said that the Mayor was guilty of a smear-job on a man who was murdered by the police. Some credit Giuliani's knee-jerk defense of the NYPD in Vasquez's shooting, more than his bout with prostate cancer, with 86'ing his hope of a successful run at a Senate seat versus Hillary Clinton.

Graphic from the NY Post

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By Dave Hogarty in News on September 23, 2007 3:00 PM

Comments [rss]

guest

So, besides the risk of appearing in the Post alongside real criminals, tell me again how one is supposed to be motivated to become a NYC teacher? Is it the excellent pay?

guest

Hahaha, virgil gets the post of the day award.

virgil

#6,

Do you feel like crying sometimes because nobody will listen to you about the looming threat from the black and hispanic juggernaut? Face it; we're all race traitors here on Gothamist, bound and determined to dilute the clean, white and noble purity of the aryan bloodline. Save yourself, while there's still time.

Listen; there's a cabin in Idaho where there's a map showing the secret hideout of the last brave, clean, articulate white folks who believe in a pure, clean true, white america. The directions are....Uh-oh, too late--- I think I hear a black and hispanic, and he's RIGHT BEHIND YOU!!!

guest

It's called token white person who's a criminal so we don't look like racists when we post about criminals. This list could easily been all black and hispanic. You ever watch Law and order and all the criminals are white or watch a movie and the gangs are all ethnically diverse? yeah, right.

Nick S

i'd like to smoke weed with her and her teacher friends...i'd rather it be outside the bowery ballroom though.

smitty

I agree. Let the teachers have their harmless fun - I'm sure they put up with plenty of stressful crap from the kids.

guest

What did the Post accomplish by publishing the story about the math teacher smoking weed outside the Beacon, other than screwing up her life? Does she really fall into the same category as someone who had sex with a 13 year old or someone who tried to hire a hitman. We have become a nation of authoritarian busybodies.

Bubba

If I remember correctly, Rudy said Dorismond was "no alterboy" when in fact, Patrick Dorismond had been an alterboy.

guest

It's absolutely disgusting that a young woman's reputation is smeared by putting her picture (linked to an arrest for what - pot? give me a break) next to a man who has sexually assaulted a young girl. Terrible.

-Tumbleweed