A jury found Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell IV not guilty of driving while intoxicated, but convicted the uptown politician of the traffic violation of driving while impaired—a lesser offense that can carry up to 15 days in jail. The judge gave the Powell a $300 fine and rejected a prosecutor's request to outfit the lawmaker's car with a device that would keep it from starting if it detected alcohol. "What happened to me is what's probably happened to most, if not, all young men of color in this country," Powell, 47, told the Post. "When cops lie, anybody can be guilty." more ›

State Sen. Hiram Monserrate was found guilty of misdemeanor assault, but he was acquitted of more serious felony assault charges after slashing his girlfriend's face during a Dec. 9 dispute. In a bench trial, Monserrate was found guilty of "recklessly causing physical injury to his companion, Karla Giraldo, by dragging her though his lobby after she was cut," the New York Times reports. If he had been found guilty of the felony charges — which each carried up to seven years in prison — he would have been forced to step down from his Senate seat. more ›