New Rochelle Cop Pleads Not Guilty to Rape

2008_03_rodrig.jpgA veteran New Rochelle police officer accused of raping a 17-year-old girl pleaded not guilty in court today. Sergeant David Rodriguez posted his $25,000 and was accompanied to court by his wife, Darlene Rodriguez, an anchor for WNBC.

Rodriguez had apparently been one of four police officers who responded to a domestic violence call on February 8. Hours after arresting her boyfriend, the alleged victim claimed Rodriguez returned to the house and raped her. Per the Journal News, it was days later, when the woman wanted to get the charges dropped against her boyfriend, that the rape allegations emerged (the person in the Domestic Violence Bureau was curious when she said "she did not want the officer to come back").

Investigators later found that she correctly described that Rodriguez's pubic hair was shaved. Rodriguez's lawyer said, "Time will show the complainant here has a number of motives here to make a false allegation," and also criticized the investigation. Rodriguez has been suspended with pay.

Darlene Rodriguez, present for the arraignment, was described as being in tears outside court. Afterwards, she told reporters, "I'm here to support my husband. I believe in him. I love him. He's innocent 100 percent."

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Comments (13) [rss]

I would hope that the basis for arrest would be something stronger than a condition that has a 50/50 probability of being true.

Poor Darlene... it must be rough to have to go through this, then add having to go through it on the same TV station where you work.

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I'm going to have to side with the police on this one. Being the son of a cop and hearing the stories growing up, dealing with domestic abusers and their spouses are one of the last calls that I'd ever want to respond to as a police officer.

I remember my father saying that he was so relieved when he finally made detective 1st grade and didn't have to do those calls anymore (he was in homicide and narcotics).

Its not that he didn't want to help, he just noted..rightfully how quickly the abused spouse will turn on you when the abuser REALLY IS GOING TO GO INTO LOCKUP AT HER REQUEST.

Its mind boggling really.

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my comment is not a "blame the victim" comment, yet a possible scenario of an abused woman:

this could be that she was cheating on her boyfriend with rodriguez and instead of face the music (to be surely further be abused), she is using this story to protect herself, it's not uncommon and has been used before.

I would hope that the basis for arrest would be something stronger than a condition that has a 50/50 probability of being true.

Shaved pubes a 50/50 probability of being true? I'm not so sure about that.

If I were writing a story I would have a voluntary physical relationship, based on mutual attraction, develop between the policeman and the complainant. The policeman would regard the relationship as casual and very temporary; this would anger the complainant, who would then decide she had been raped, but several days later, when she wanted the old boyfriend back. I guess it would be a dumb story, though.

Investigators later found that she correctly described that Rodriguez's pubic hair was shaved.

It's horrible enough that women are shaving away the Glorious Natural Pelt in favor of the hideous (except to pedophiles, of course) Bald Eagle look, but now MEN are doing the same? What is this world coming to??

Shaved pubes guess is all it takes to go to a trial for rape? Sheesh...

but now MEN are doing the same? What is this world coming to??

There's something very prissy about many people these days, especially the young. And it's spreading. 9/11, HIV, the economy going down the tubes -- they're all scared and getting prissy.

shaved pubes AND an accusation of rape AND no alibi for the time in question.

A few scenarios:

1. the accuser decides to accuse a COP of rape (a pretty serious false accusatoin), makes the whole thing up, and gets lucky by guessing a detail about shaved pubes and that the guy she accuses can't account for the time.

2. cop busts boyfriend, thinks girl is cute. Returns to scene a few hours later, knowing she's there alone, and consensual sex takes place. Girl regrets it, and accuses him of rape.

3. cop busts boyfriend, thinks girl is cute. Returns to scene a few hours later, knowing she's there alone, and uses his authority to coerce her into sex.

I think #2 or #3 are more likely than her making the whole thing up and risking the whole story on a guess about a specific detail like shaved pubes.

Dead right, Ph. There's nothing more complicated and downright fugly (and deceptively dangerous) in a cop's world than a domestic dispute. Nothing is clear cut - and too often times doing the right thing goes ridiculously wrong... which may be what happened here.

On the other hand... why did Sgt. Rodriguez go back to the apartment? And why did he go alone (I'm assuming that from the story, could be wrong)? And why so soon after the arrest? These are huge errors in judgement for an experience cop to make.

But perhaps even more disturbing... Darlene, why are you with a guy who plucks his pubes???

trimming the pubes is a good idea if you want to increase your oral action.

"It's horrible enough that women are shaving away the Glorious Natural Pelt in favor of the hideous (except to pedophiles, of course) Bald Eagle look, but now MEN are doing the same? What is this world coming to??"

This has been going on for much longer than people think. And to agree with Zodak, it makes oral action much easier to give and receive.

P.S. I don't condone a complete shave, just a good trim.

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