Report: NYPD Covered Up Rookie Cops' Assault On Cabbie

It sometimes seems like no good deed goes unpunished when it comes to the NYPD: Officer Adrian Schoolcraft was hounded and discredited for coming forward about quotas in the force, and several off-duty cops have gotten away with drunk driving cover-ups. Today the Village Voice reports on another such cover-up, which took the reputation and dignity away from one diligent police officer.

In Dec. 2008, Sgt. Anthony Acosta intervened when he saw a group of rookie officers engaged in a fight with a cabbie outside the Vudu Lounge on First Avenue near 78th Street on the Upper East Side. The officers were off-duty attending a Christmas party, and possibly drunk; cab driver Levelle DeSean Ming honked his horn at the revelers as they crossed the street waywardly, and the rookies attacked him (one with a two-by-four). "If those cops had been civilians, they would have been arrested," said Acosta, who identified himself and tried to break up the fight.

Through a series of intimidating confrontations, a cover-up was allegedly formed to protect the ten rookies. A police captain on the scene was not questioned, and the report was filled with half-truths leaving out the context of the party beforehand. Cab driver Ming was arrested himself: "The judge was convinced Ming had been arrested in a police-car stop, and he wouldn't listen to the real story. Ming eventually paid a fine to resolve the arrest." Acosta says commanding officers wanted him to lie and say he hadn't identified himself, and offered him a plea deal, which he refused. Instead, he was given administrative charges and was chained to a desk without his gun or his shield until this summer.

He told the Voice, "I spend a lot of time trying to figure out how this happened. I did everything right. I feel like the lesson is, you know what, mind your business, stay in your house, don't get involved. I'm not one of those conspiracy people, but how the hell did I end up in this position?"

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

By Ben Yakas in News on October 13, 2010 12:50 PM

Comments [rss]

John L

The Blue Wall of Silence destroys every cop's credibility. As far as I'm concerned if you're a good cop but defend or protect a bad cop then you're just as guilty.

Officers like Adrian Schoolcraft and Sgt. Anthony Acosta should be heroes but that are vilified and destroyed instead while bad cops get promotions, it's horrible and sends a terrible message to other cops that would like to do the right thing.

Ray Kelly has to go for allowing these things to happen.

Anyone that ever aspired to be a criminal just join the NYPD, the exam is free and it's the easiest civil service exam I ever took. That badge allows you to doing anything you want with impunity. You can drink and drive, harass people, shoot people, basically anything you want and nothing will happen if you just "play the game."

sjack

The Voice article repeatedly mentions that it's Sgt. Acosta. First the NYPD shits on him, and then Gothamist demotes him.

jaycjay

That's odd. Usually they'll hang a rook out to dry they're expendable. Then, maximize the P.R. value: this shows that they're cracking down on bad cops.

Rookies got away with that? Somebody must have had a hook.

ocm123

You're right. That's why I wouldn't be surprised if there was more to this story.

nicemarmot

Maybe ten rookies > one good cop.

Boogie Down

Ten comments and not one mention that Levelle DeSean Ming may be the best name in history. Also, this is bad.

FelixtheCat Christine Quinns

Actually edge, perhaps it is you that is stupid. Being part of this abusive corrupt system is supporting it. No good person of conscious would be a NyC police officer.

grandzu

That judge is part of the problem. Who is he/she? Judges need to stop automatically believing a cop.

The Edge

Thats pretty stupid, jacque. Even coming from you.

JacqueMehoff

hey, you're back. How's chinatown doing? you know lendy's.

JacqueMehoff

good cop does the right thing, get's persecuted. bad cops get promoted. I don't care anymore, cops get what they deserved. if you're a good cop with a good conscience, leave the force. until then, you're part of the problem when you see stuff like this.

and, it all balances out in the end. even cops.

FelixtheCat & Christine Quinn'

This is why there are no good cops on the forcebecause the environment is too hostile. Which is why the biggest asshole are in command. I.e. Kelly. V