Transit Cop Backs Up Man's Sodomy Claim to Grand Jury

After the first day of grand jury testimony, things do not look good right now for Officer Richard Kern, one of the cops accused of sodomizing Michael Mineo while he was being detained in the Prospect Park subway station last month. Yesterday Officer Kevin Malone, one of the other officers who arrested Mineo on October 15th, testified that he saw Kern place his metal baton against Mineo's left side and run it from left to right across his buttocks as Malone was handcuffing him. That baton is about 2 feet long and 1-1/4 inches in diameter.

It had previously been believed that Mineo was sodomized with an antenna, likely because he was reported to have yelled something along the lines of "Why are you sticking a radio up my ass?!" Kern allegedly responded to that, "This guy is an EDP (emotionally disturbed person)." Later when Mineo, who cops had suspected was smoking marijuana, was only issued a summons for disorderly conduct, Kern is alleged to have warned him not to complain, or else the charges could be upgraded to a felony.

Mineo also testified before the grand jury yesterday after arriving at the courthouse walking with the assistance of a cane. He claims that he has not been able to sit down in the three weeks since the incident took place. He also says that he feels jumpy when he hears police vehicles. Mineo told press outside the court yesterday, "At first, I felt like people weren't believing me. And, you know, now that things are coming to the light, I feel a little bit more better that I know these cops are going to brought to justice."

Yesterday it was revealed that the NYPD paid $50,000 to settle two brutality charges made against Officer Kern last year. He had been cleared in the instances by the city's Civilian Complaint Review Board.

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By Billy Parker in News on November 7, 2008 11:37 AM

Comments [rss]

NannyState

LOL #4! I hear Nature and Scientific American are battling for the rights to this story!

JMH

It's not the kind of thing that would be admissible before a jury, I don't think, but the settlements paid in two prior brutality suits are a pretty bad character indictment.

DaLata

i think they were just acting out to the lyrics of lil wayne's song mrs. officer when one of the cops took it too far

"When I get up all in ya

We can hear the angels callin us

We can see da sun rise before us

And when im in dat thang i make

Dat body sang, I make it say

Wee Ooh Wee Ooh Wee

Wee Ooh Wee Ooh Wee

Wee Ooh Wee Ooh Wee

(like a cop car)

who knows. i bet the tattoo guy and the cop were friends and the cop guy was like, "look, i'm gonna loose my job. how about you let me stick this walkie up your butt, you sue the city and then we split the money. i promise i wont' hurt you that bad. here, let's practice with my p*nis first.

"... den i beat it like a cop

Rodney King baby yeah i beat it like

a cop"

amandabee

My husband and I had a longish discussion this morning about these photos of him in the hospital. I see a big faker. Husband sees sincerity.

I was pretty convinced that he was making it up -- I mean, if you've just been tackled by the cops and they're shoving blunt obje... I don't think I would have the wherewithal to say "why are you sticking a radio up my ass?" The precision of it seems so contrived.

The whole thing is seeming more and more plausible, though. How it is that the NYPD can still surprise and disgust me ... that is the new mystery.

As a wise man once said, 99% of cops make the rest look bad.

pierrevonbaron

Typical CCRB....WEAK

JacqueMehoff

you can't win with cops, any cops.

if you're acting out, you're guilty.

if you're all cool and chill, you're guilty of something because you're not bitching.

TK

This is what happens when douche bags collide. Its kind of like the city is incrementally becoming a huge douche bag super-collider!

billybob

Of-fice-er Kern

Now-it's-your-turn!

jonathan

Maybe they did, maybe they didn't, but I saw this guy on NY1 this morning, and my god does he sound sleazy and insincere. I particularly loved his fake crying and canned speech.