Results tagged “fromnewsday”

Stephon Marbury turned in a typical performance during and after his testimony at the sexual harassment trial that pits former Knicks marketing executive Anucha Browne Sanders against Knicks president and coach Isiah Thomas. And by typical, we mean that he testified that when he first found out about the lawsuit, he "laughed" - "I meant it was more of a joke than anything" - and treated reporters to some singing when they questioned him.

Police say a man confessed to the brutal killing of his girlfriend's 61-year-old mother on Tuesday. And Newsday says that among Joseph Cazeau's "stunning" admissions was that he was having an affair with his victim.

Vincent Basciano, the reputed boss of the Bonanno crime family also known as "Vinny Gorgeous," may be on trial for the 2001 murder of a rival, but that doesn't mean he can't be concerned with his appearance.

Twenty-three-year-old police officer Russel Timoshenko died yesterday at King County Hospital, five days after being shot twice in the face during a Monday traffic stop in Prospect Lefferts Gardens. Doctors took him off life support after finding he had no brain activity yesterday afternoon. KCH director of trauma service and surgical critical care, Dr. Robert Kurtz, was visibly upset as he reported Timoshenko's death. From Newsday:

Kurtz, who choked up, said the case "affected us emotionally as well as professionally."

Continue reading "Cop Shot During Brooklyn Traffic Stop Dies,
Suspects Now Face Murder Charges"

The wealthy couple accused of enslaving two Indonesian women in their Long Island home can't buy their way out of prison for $3.5 million. A judge rejected the multi-million dollar bail plan for Varsha and Mahender Sabhnani, calling it an "open invitation to a tea party... a virtual open house." Prosecutors say the couple tortured two women and kept them virtual prisoners in their home while forcing them to work.

Earlier this week, the police were looking for a former guest who attacked a mother and son in Queens. David Higgins and his parents let Emmanuel Polanco live with them, until they realized Polanco was stealing from them. Two weeks after kicking him out, Higgins found Polanco back in the home, stealing other items. Polanco stabbed Higgins and beat his mother with a baseball bat. Before dying of his injuries, Higgins was able to tell the police Polanco was the attacker.

Meals served at Bronx and Brooklyn courthouses will be utensil-less. How come? Well, Newsday reports that a shiv made out of two plastic spoons was found in a holding cell! Now court officers are worried about the exact thing we thought: What about all the other jails in the city? The Court Officers Association says court officers should just keep track of them ("If ten prisoners get a fork, then you have to get ten forks back."), but that's not much reassurance. From Newsday:

The shiv found in a holding cell where prisoners cool their heels before or after their appearance in criminal court sparked an Police Department memo in July warning officers to be on the watch for an "improvised knife."

Continue reading "Finger Food for Prisoners at Courthouses"

Tensions are on edge in Harlem, after police fatally shot an 18 year old yesterday morning. While the police say Mingo Kenneth Mason was armed and ran when they approached him, residents in the housing project police chased Mason say that the police "regularly harrass" tenants and "needlessly hand out trespassing tickets" as Newsday reports. What is known is that a resident called the police to complain about a man showing a gun to three others at the East River Houses. From Newsday:

Two police officers assigned to the East Houses area responded to the scene moments later, police said. When they approached, the group began to disperse, with Mason pushing his way past the officers, knocking one of them to the ground, police said.

Continue reading "Police Shoot Harlem Teen"

Even judges can be judged. And in this case, the verdict is "You're out!" State Supreme Court Justice Laura D. Blackburne was "fired" by the state Court of Appeals, regarding that 2004 incident where she let a robbery suspect evade arrest. The suspect was in Justice Blackburne's court for a different hearing, and a detective was waiting outside to question him; Blackburne knew the detective was waiting outside, but advised that the suspect be taken out a back entrance. Blackburne was suspended from the bench during the investigation, and the Commission on Judicial Conduct had recommended her removal. Blackburned appealed, but yesterday, the court ruled 5-2 that she "transcended the boundaries of acceptable judicial behavior" and the Commission's recommendation stands. Though the robbery charges against Derek Sterling were eventually dropped, the court found problems with Blackburne's action. From Newsday:

Though it was a single instance of misconduct, the high court said Blackburne acted out of "anger and pique" over a mistaken belief that [Detective] Devlin had lied to her about why he had come to court. Though she had chances to rectify her mistake on the spot, Blackburne pressed a court officer to allow Sterling to leave despite concerns by prosecutors it might be an obstruction of justice.

Continue reading "Judges Rule Queens Judge Out"