Cops Accused of Sodomizing Brooklyn Man in Subway

The NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau is investigating an explosive allegation made by a Brooklyn man who says five cops beat him and then sodomized him with a walkie-talkie antenna inside the Prospect Park B and Q subway station. One NYPD source tells the Daily News, "This is a bad one. It looks like one of the cops inserted his radio antenna in the victim's rectum."

Lawyers for the man, a 24-year-old tattoo parlor employee named Michael Mineo, say that he was smoking a joint on his way to the subway at around 12:30 p.m. on October 15th when police confronted him. Mineo fled to the station, where the cops apprehended him by the turnstile. According to his account, an officer placed his knee on Mineo’s neck as others punched and kicked him. While he was held down, Mineo says one officer pulled down his pants, while another shoved a police radio antenna into his rectum. He also claims one of the officers yelled, "Don’t do it! Don’t do it! No, no, no, no."

NYPD spokesman Paul Browne tells the Times that investigators interviewed two civilian witnesses, whom he says contradicted the allegation: "Witnesses said they heard him say two things, that he was being sodomized and Tasered, and they saw neither." But a police source tell the News that one witness did see Mineo's bare buttocks. In a statement, Browne added that Mineo's complaint is being investigated, but "his assertion that he was sodomized is not supported by independent civilian witnesses on the scene."

After the alleged assault, Mineo was given a desk appearance ticket charging him with disorderly conduct. He was then taken to the hospital by his boss, Jason Amolsch, who also lives with Mineo. He was released after five days, and while his lawyer has not yet released the medical report, a source tells the News that a medical discharge summary listed the principal diagnosis as "anal assault."

As part of the inquiry, an unidentified investigator tells the Times that police officials had removed an item, which he would not identify, from one of the officer’s lockers and sent it for testing. The Times also notes that in 1987, Mineo's lawyer, Stephen Jackson, was a lawyer for one of the advisers to Tawana Brawley, a 15-year-old black girl from Wappingers Falls, N.Y., whose claims of being abducted and raped by a group of white men were found to be a hoax. In this case, Mineo is white and the police involved in the incident are reportedly white, black and Hispanic.

And the News points out that Mineo has been arrested four times in the past four years, most recently in April on assault charges. That arrest took place at the tattoo parlor after Mineo and four others allegedly kicked and punched a man, bloodying his head and knocking out a tooth. Another victim in the confrontation says Mineo struck him with a wooden stool, according to the Times. That case is still open.

Photo courtesy Andrew Odom.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on October 24, 2008 10:40 AM

Comments [rss]

dreamtard

I think we are finally making progress in the war on drugs.

Spirit of 76

I can smell shit a mile away and there's a ton of it in [29] and any other HUGO_MEGO post.

I'm starting to think HUGO_MEGO is actually not a relatively new poster. With the trolling and the use of an old toy name in the handle, it really feels like banned troll sonyactivision is up to his old tricks. Or at least just a pathetic twerp who never has anything positive to say in any comment he ever writes on Gothamist.

HUGO_MEGO

All we have to do is get Spiritof76 to sniff the antenna and we will know if it happened or not.

JacqueMehoff

now they're saying that the cops used their expandable baton on him. if that's true, then that just upped the ante. a steel expandable baton is much different than a rubber duck antenna.

virgil

I've met plenty of decent cops in my life, in lots of cities, and unfortunately, I still have no problem believing this. Unfortunately the combination of power, an us vs. them mentality, and a sense of impunity attracts some bad apples and bakes others into extremely bad apple pie.

tingo

What is it with cops and this practice? Some serious pent up issues at play...

JoHonnyBoy

Dirk -

Yes they would. Have you ever had an actual interaction with your average NYPD cop? I did after my apartment was broken into, and they were both easily two of the stupidest people I've ever met. Or, have you ever actually tried to ask for directions or information? I have yet to meet a uniformed officer who was not a moron. I have interacted with detectives, though, who were quiet bright, so they exist in the upper ranks, but most beat cops are just plain dumb. If they're even mildly intelligent, they get promoted.

Dirk

Something here doesn't pass the smell test. Would a cop be so stupid to do this in public?

Kojak

I did a search for Michael Mineo on Facebook and I got 17 hits. One of them is the pot smoking butt burgled perp.

FelixtheCat & Christine Quinn'

yes it is an italian name. I don't think cops/Irish like the italians. I did they did butt rape him with their walkies. disgusting.

Spirit of 76

NYPD = New York's Public Disgrace

Splicer

If these cops want to explore their sexuality there are so many other ways to do it.

danisaint

This story is gross...I don't want to think that a cop my stick an antenna up my bum if I am breaking the law...

If it turns out to be true, then these cops need to be suspended for a while (without pay). If it is false, then Mineo and his attorney need to be dealt with...

The guy was stupid for thinking he could smoke pot in the subway...but I don't think it is the worse thing that a guy in the subway could be doing.

I would rather ride with him then a flasher, slasher, or killer...but that is just the lady in me speaking...

antenna up the anus *shudder*

Kyle T

"Having just watched Deliverance last night..."

Good thing you didn't watch Deliver, the all female remake, last night. I saw this movie at BAM two nights ago. Horrible.

TooTallJeff

There's a dude smoking every day(!) on his stoop in Park Slope. Here's the solution: legalize it!

Kojak

That's not completely true. Most people at least find a place to do it that's not so open, unless you reside in Harlem or East New York where even the police don't give a f.