Results tagged “arrest”

It comes as no surprise that the off-duty NYPD detective who fatally struck an elderly pedestrian early Friday morning in the Bronx has an alcohol problem. Detective Kevin (Spike) Spellman had a blood alcohol level of 0.21 percent—more than twice the legal limit—almost six hours after the accident. Now it's being reported that this isn't the first time booze has caused problems for Spellman and others.

On Monday, the Allegheny County District Attorney dropped all charges against two Jackson Heights-based anarchists accused of listening to police scanners and sharing riot cops' movements with demonstrators on Twitter during the G-20 summit in Pittsburgh. Elliot Madison and Michael Wallschlaeger were arrested on September 24th in a Pittsburgh hotel room, where they were found sitting in front of personal computers listening to both police and EMS scanners. On Monday, lawyers for the men were poised to argue for the unsealing of a secret 18-page affidavit authorizing the raid, but then the prosecution unexpectedly withdrew all charges. A spokesman for the district attorney offered this explanation:

After an extensive review of the facts and circumstances underlying those two arrests... there appears to be sufficient evidence to suggest that certain acts that occurred during the G-20 summit were not isolated incidents confined to Allegheny County but instead may have been related to more expansive activities that went beyond the Pittsburgh G-20 in both time and substance. That being the case, a determination was made that until further investigative activities by law enforcement agencies can be completed, it would be more prudent to have the current charges withdrawn rather than prosecuted at this time.

Police arrested a 23-year-old man in connection with two rapes in the Rockaways last month. The Daily News reports that DNA evidence linked Malcolm Johnson to the crimes. He was charged with "rape, sexual assault, robbery, unlawful imprisonment and criminal possession of a weapon."

This tweet from Laura Holder just caught our eye: "Seen at polling station (e.g. grade school): 1 man, over-6-foot tall, towering, 100% naked. Number of police: 12. Number of police cars: 4." The Local also heard about the naked man, and a volunteer for Bill Thompson says he saw the unidentified man near PS 56 in Clinton Hill, which was closed for Election Day. The volunteer says the man approached "talking all kinds of crazy stuff — he said he was a direct pure-blood descendant of Jesus." (Sounds like a Rev. Billy voter?)

The Daily News adds a new detail to the "road rage" arrests of Dominique Sharpton and Kathy Jordan—the daughter and ex-wife of the Reverend Al Sharpton. Apparently 23-year-old Dominque was pulled over by cops after allegedly driving through a red light, so she called her mother who "rushed to the scene to find Dominique in the back of a police car, Sharpton's attorney said." The women argued with the cops, eventually being taken to the stationhouse and charged with "disorderly conduct and obstruction of governmental administration." Their lawyer said, "It seems they were arrested simply because they asked why the ticket was being given." The Reverend Al, aside from his Tweets yesterday, remains quiet on the issue.

According to the Post, the ex-wife and daughter of the Reverend Al Sharpton "were arrested [Friday] night after berating a pair of Harlem cops who pulled them over for running a red light in the wrong lane to get around their slow-moving, unmarked cruiser." The incident began at West 110th Street and 8th Avenue, when Dominique Sharpton, allegedly frustrated by the unmarked cruiser, "honked her horn and tailgated the vehicle" and then "furiously swerved across the double yellow line and sped through a red light to get past the cop car."

U.S. prosecutors say that two men, including a Queens building super, were indicted for allegedly trying to aid the Hezbollah: "Patrick Nayyar, an Indian citizen living in Queens, and Conrad Stanisclaus Mulholland, a U.K. citizen, have been charged with conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization; providing material support; conspiracy to make a contribution of funds, goods, or services to and for the benefit of Hezbollah; and making a contribution of funds, goods or services." Authorities also claim Nayyar was here illegally, but his lawyer said he is here legally, though his visa may have lapsed, adding he was skeptical of the charges.

A Brooklyn mother charged with beating her 4-year-old son to death over the course of two days told a friend she was "possessed by a spirit" during the savage attacks. Suspect Myrna Chen Phang was visited Sunday at the NYPD's 71st Precinct station house by a friend, Rosa Adrien, who tells the Daily News, "[Phang] said something came over her, almost like a spirit. She said she didn't know why she let it happen." 4-year-old Jayden Lenescar died Friday afternoon after being beaten repeatedly with fists, a clothes hanger and belt buckle.

Although Jamal Blair, the 18-year-old arrested for killing a 92-year-old Bronx woman, allegedly confessed to police, he told reporters last night, "I didn't do it. I was framed by the police. The police did it, they framed me, man. No justice."

A Manhattan teenager with no criminal record is suing the city for $1 million because cops arrested and taunted him as "Plaxico Burress" after he got shot in a robbery. Christian Dudley doesn't even own a gun, but that didn't matter to the officers who collared him after the Harlem mugging earlier this year. He was arrested in a Washington Heights hospital where he was waiting to get the bullet removed from the back of his knee—instead of surgery, he got dragged to the precinct on a charge of criminal possession of a weapon. And that's where the fun really started.

Fresh meat will be denied to a nation eager to see justice meted out upon the Colorado parents behind the "Balloon Boy" saga—if the family's lawyer has his way. Richard and Mayumi Heene could face up to six years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000 if it's proven that they falsely reported that six-year-old son Falcon had been carried away in a homemade balloon on Thursday. Denver lawyer David Lane says his clients are willing to surrender, in part so they aren't arrested in front of their children.

When they're not shooting themselves in the groin, threatening to kill the president, or trying to blow up Starbucks, the city's rebellious youngsters continue to commit the less sensational crime of burglary. Cops arrested two teenagers suspected of ransacking dozens of lower Manhattan apartments in separate burglary sprees.

When news broke that alleged Pan Am hijacker Luis Armando Peña Soltren—the FBI's longest wanted fugitive—had turned himself over to authorities yesterday, it seemed probable that Soltren had worked out a plea deal in exchange for surrendering after more than four decades in exile. But today Soltren pleaded not guilty to participating in the 1968 hijacking of a Pan Am flight from New York and rerouting it to Havana, where he has lived ever since.

From Newsday: "With her 5-year-old and 4-month-old daughters nearby, an East Patchogue mother scuffled Saturday with a Suffolk police officer trying to seize crack pipes and hypodermic needles in her kitchen, Suffolk police said in announcing the woman's arrest on numerous criminal charges." Apparently she "jumped on his back and tried to deter him from taking possession."

Allen Weber says he went to Pittsburgh last month to photograph the street protests at the G20 summit, but police say he behaved like just another anarchist. According to Pittsburgh police Officer Brian Nicholas, Weber was one of hundreds of demonstrators gathered in a plaza on the evening of September 24th, after police had ordered everyone to disperse. Nicholas was in the front seat of an armored SWAT truck, and he dropped a smoke grenade from the truck, about 15 feet from the crowd.

When courting a young maiden, it is acceptable to formally introduce oneself through a mutual acquaintance in society, or by sending a virtual "wink" through the social networking website of your choice. Other methods, such as honking one's horn or pretending to be a Rockefeller, are generally considered unacceptable. But what about breaking into a woman's apartment, stripping naked, getting into bed with her and licking her neck?

Film director Roman Polanski, currently held in Swiss custody on a U.S. arrest warrant for the 1977 rape of a 13-year-old girl, will fight extradition, according to his lawyer. Herve Temine said, "Taking into account the extraordinary conditions of his arrest, his Swiss lawyer will seek his freedom without delay. He was shocked, dumbfounded, but he is in a fighting mood and he is very determined to defend himself."

Film director Roman Polanski, who fled the U.S. in 1978 after being convicted of raping a 13-year-old, was arrested in Switzerland, where he was scheduled to receive an award at the Zurich Film Festival. The 76-year-old was taken into custody at his hotel.

Revolting: Police say a Staten Island man traveled to Pennsylvania for what he believed would be a sexual rendezvous with a woman and her 14-month-old daughter. Instead, Anthony Taylor, 48, was arrested yesterday in a pedophilia sting operation because the "mother" he'd been chatting with was actually an undercover detective working with federal, state and local law enforcement. The officer encountered Taylor, who allegedly used the handle "Tony The Staten Island Man," three months ago in a chat room called, ugh, "Start Them Early."

    

Yes Men co-founder Andy Bichlbaum was arrested this morning while demonstrating one of the group's post-apocalyptic SurvivaBalls, described as "a self-contained living system—truly, a gated community for one. If you have a SurvivaBall, even if everyone else is dying, at least you can weather all storms." A spokesperson tells us that Bichlbaum was at Stuy Cove Park, just north of East 20th Street on the East River, wearing a SurvivaBall along with twenty others similarly ensconced. There were about 40 spectators, and so the NYPD, acting on NYC's unconstitutional parade permit law, arrived to break up the citizens' peaceful assembly.

Police believe they've apprehended the serial rapist responsible for four sexual assaults in Hamilton Heights since early August. The suspect is identified as 21-year-old Vincent Heyward, of 281 Edgecombe Avenue, just blocks from where the last sexual assault took place. According to police spokesman Paul Browne, officers approached Heyward on Tuesday around 12:30 a.m. because he resembled sketches of the rapist. Heyward agreed, telling the cops, "Yeah, that does look like me." He also consented to swab his cheek for DNA testing, then went on his way.

The ASPCA says it used Facebook to find a man accused of breaking a Yorkshire terrier's leg. Yesterday, the Post reported that Donnell Walters, 22, "was busted yesterday for allegedly taking the tiny Yorkshire terrier he'd given his boyfriend as an engagement gift and smashing her down until he'd shattered her leg." Wlaters and Omar Koonce, 20, had been arguing outside their Queens home in July when, allegedly took four-year-old pup Lucy "by the neck and started slamming her against the stairwell three times and dropped her to the ground." The ASPCA couldn't find Walters at first, but then tracked him through Facebook (apparently Friday was his birthday)—and arrested him at his workplace on charges of felony animal cruelty and criminal mischief. As for Lucy, she has recovered—her leg needed "pins, plates and a splint to repair." Here's the ASPCA's Facebook page.

Well this isn't a pretty picture, but who doesn't love an art caper come full circle? Last month two drawings by Russian artist Nicholas Roerich were stolen from the Nicholas Roerich Museum (where else?). While one piece was returned in the mail (with a return address), the NY Post now reports that a Brooklyn couple was busted at a LES Starbucks trying to sell the other one to an undercover cop. "Denis Ryjenko, 35, and his girlfriend, Natella Croussouloudis, 42, were arrested Sept. 3 as they tried to unload a small masterpiece. One of them even told the 'buyer' the painting was hot and warned him not to hang it on his gallery wall." The couple had been showing it to people in their Midwood apartment, and were prepared to sell the piece (which is worth well over $100,000) for $40,000. Their landlord told the paper they owed $7,500 in back rent and recently had their power and gas shut off.

Ugh: The Post reports that a "tech-savvy skirt-chaser fitted his boots with cameras and victimized women as they walked through Union Square Park, cops said yesterday... He was carrying a viewer, which was connected by wires through his pockets to tiny cameras lodged in the tongues of his boots, cops said." Eric Pierson was charged with unlawful surveillance last week and found with "recordings showing the legs and underwear of another eight victims." Speaking of, doesn't the iPod Nano with video capability seem like it might encourage this kind of behavior?

Nancy Reagan was right about pot making you dumb or whatever; three geniuses on Staten Island were busted Sunday afternoon when police discovered a large marijuana plant on their table in the living room and 15 more on a rear deck. How were police alerted to the stash? One of the roommates, 53-year-old Scott Ortega, summoned them there! Apparently the three were involved with some sort of landlord-tenant dispute, and Ortega called 911 to report a possible burglary. According to court papers obtained by the Staten Island Advance, police confiscated the plants and returned Monday with a warrant, finding three Xanax pills on a bedroom dresser, 11 joints a drawer, 15 partially-smoked joints on a TV stand, and several smaller bags of reefer. According to the Post, Ortega allegedly told cops the marijuana was just for his personal use, so it's all good, right? All three men face charges of criminal possession of marijuana, criminal possession of a controlled substance and "criminally using drug paraphernalia." Previously on stupid stoner tricks: Personally escorting cops to your pot house, and smoking herb while speeding in a car full of "bales" of marijuana.

Back in 2007, cops raided the Bronx home of Alcy Rosario, 27, as he and two accomplices loaded 50 kilos of cocaine—with a street value of $20 million—into duffel bags. Police collared his two partners, but Rosario escaped by running away and jumping into the Bronx River. City Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget Brennan tells the Post "they never found the body, but they were always checking to see if he might be around," and cops were regularly seen staking out his building. Well, it turns out Rosario actually survived his suicidal plunge in the river, and even went on to lead a life of carefree recreation. On Saturday night, he finally surfaced, after police were alerted to a group of men riding all-terrain vehicles through Van Cortlandt Park. It's unclear why Rosario didn't harness his mutant Bronx River powers to fight off the cops—he's refusing to speak to investigators. He faces charges that could land him eight to 20 years behind bars; his accomplices pleaded guilty after the 2007 arrest and are currently serving seven-year sentences in state prison.

Not too long ago there was some pole dancing for arts sake on the L train. Well, yesterday photographer Zach Hyman (he's like the one-model-at-a-time version of Spencer Tunick) brought his nude subject to a museum. Surprisingly, it seems the MTA is cooler with the naked human form than the Met is!

Just when it looked like The Man was standing up for photographer's rights, or at least understanding the law, things have gone sour again. Carlos Miller reports that 43-year-old professional photographer Randall Thomas "was jailed for six hours—and had his camera and memory card confiscated by a judge—after filming an FBI building from across the street in New York City Monday."

A Long Island guy is in major trouble after a perfectly innocent evening spent hanging with his 5-year-old son in a parking lot went terribly wrong, all thanks to some nosy cops. Christopher Grossman, 37, was spotted Tuesday night just chilling with the little man around 11:30 in a parking lot in Seaford, standing next to a car with the music "blasting." A Nassau County police officer decided to see what was up, and noticed that the car's interior was a disgusting mess, overflowing with trash, clothing, golf clubs, and bottles of anti-freeze and laundry detergent surrounding the child's car seat.

A Staten Island driver is due in court at the end of the month to face assault charges after a road rage incident with a cyclist. Unlike Fox News staffer Don Broderick, whom the Manhattan DA let off the hook despite allegations that he drove with a cyclist clinging to his hood, 27-year-old Michael Graziuso was taken away in handcuffs after this altercation, which took place at a busy Staten Island intersection on the morning of July 8th. The confrontation was sparked after cyclist Gregory DeRespino, 48, stopped in the bike lane at a red light at Capodanno Boulevard and Seaview Avenue, making it difficult for several cars lined up behind him to make a right turn.