Later today a Bronx grand jury is expected to begin deciding on charges in the ticket-fixing investigation that has been rocking the NYPD. "It's going to be the biggest scandal this department has seen in a long time," one source close to the investigation in the Bronx told the Daily News. "The cops who will be named in these indictments are the ones who went the furthest." Prosecutors are expected to ask for indictments of 17 cops on charges including perjury, bribery, rewarding official misconduct, and grand larceny. more ›

A federal grand jury has been convened to look at whether the NYPD leaked information about the 2009 subway bomb plot, and so far, four NYPD detectives have testified. Now the Daily News reports that the grand jury is also looking at how reporters got details about other terrorism cases, like "how reporters knew Times Square bomber Faisal Shahzad lived in Connecticut - before he was captured." more ›

Back in September 2009, the FBI and NYPD raided Queens homes because of a plot to bomb the NYC subway system. While suspects were arrested—and later convicted—tensions emerged between the two agencies because a police officer showed photographs of "persons of interest" to an imam who tipped off suspects, forcing the FBI to act early. Now, numerous of NYPD detectives are being called to testify in front of a grand jury about the leaks. more ›

A Brooklyn man died yesterday while hearing testimony in a grand jury presentation in Brooklyn Supreme Court. The 49-year-old man suffered a heart attack just before the 1 p.m. lunch break. more ›

Last summer, 50 bullets were fired during a chaotic Harlem block party—and 46 were from police guns. One man, Luis Soto, died from a police bullet and another, Angel Alvarez, was shot at least 23 times, mostly from the police. Yesterday, a grand jury decided against bringing criminal charges against the police, but Alvarez is looking to sue the NYPD. His lawyer said, "It appears their mentality was: Shoot first and ask questions later." more ›

A Westchester grand jury declined to bring charges against two police officers who shot and killed a Pace University student last October. Danroy "D.J." Henry was killed when the car he was driving hit two police officers who had been responding to a rowdy scene at a Thornton, NY restaurant; when Henry did not stop the car, the police officers fired at him. The Journal News reports that the White Plains jury heard from "dozens of witnesses in the past month — including the officers and other occupants of the car Henry was driving." more ›

The man accused of raping a Russian tourist in Riverside Park was indicted by a grand jury yesterday. Hugues-Denver Akassy, a self-proclaimed TV reporter (well, he does have a website), was charged for numerous incidents on Upper West Side women. Besides the alleged rape, there are allegations of harassment and criminal trespass. But his lawyer said, "These are just allegations by women who he admits social interaction with -- and all of those interactions were consensual." So, being harassed on the street is consensual? more ›

After the Manhattan DA's office asked if anyone had information about a man accused of raping a woman in Riverside Park, at least 10 more women have come forward. This is an addition to three other incidents of allegedly trespassing and harassing women. A source tells the Daily News, "Women are calling every day, saying he stalked or harassed or in several other cases, attacked them. This was his real profession - harassing women." In fact, a Gothamist reader thanked us for posting the Manhattan DA's office contact information, because she said she had a scary run-in with Akassy, too. more ›

A grand jury decided against murder charges for a man who fatally stabbed two men on a 2 train in March, apparently believing Brenddy Garcia's claims of self-defense. Garcia, 19, will be released from Rikers; his lawyer said, "He’s been distraught. He’s been crying. He’s been depressed. I’m just happy that the right thing happened here." more ›

Today Imam Zulqarnain Abdu-Shahid, the Correction Department chaplain and ex-con caught carrying sharp objects (razor blades and a pair of scissors) into a downtown prison, is set to testify in front of a grand jury. Last week the Imam was charged with four counts of first-degree promoting prison contraband. According to his layer, the blades caught by an X-ray machine as the chaplain entered the prison are "the kind found in barbershops." more ›

NYPD Officer Alex Kelly has been indicted on vehicular manslaughter and DWI charges in connection with the late September accident that killed pedestrian Vionique Valnord as she tried to hail a cab. Of course, Kellly managed to postpone taking a blood alcohol test for over seven hours, so he scored a perfect zero on the test, which is going to make it hard for prosecutors to make the DWI rap stick. more ›

A grand jury has decided not to move forward with assault charges against a man arrested in connection with a September 7th fight at the Staten Island ferry terminal in Manhattan that left firefighter Matthew Dugan, 34, in critical condition. Doctors had to put Dugan, who is still hospitalized but in stable condition, into a medically induced coma after two operations to reduce the pressure on his brain. Police say the fight started after Dugan entered the terminal with his girlfriend, Sandy Wong, around 1:30 a.m. after a night of drinking. When Wong slipped on some stairs, Rasheeim Turner and two pals started laughing; Dugan told them to shut up, and was attacked. more ›

African-American groups continue to turn up the heat on officials to dig further into the friendly-fire shooting of NYPD Officer Omar Edwards in the wake of a grand jury's decision not to indict Officer Andrew Dunton. Now the group 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care is taking their plea for justice to Governor Paterson, issuing the governor an ultimatum that he appoint a special investigator into the Edwards case or else lose their support in next year's election. A spokesman for the group said, "We're suspicious of the incestuous relationship of the DA's office and the NYPD when it comes to conducting fair and impartial investigations in cases like these...If he will not support us on this, then we will not support him." Paterson had assembled a panel to investigate the shooting soon after it took place in May. A spokesman said the governor is awaiting its findings before taking any further action. Paterson cannot afford to lose any support from important voting blocks going into his bid to stay in office; polls have already shown that he has lost major support from black voters who are becoming more likely to support Andrew Cuomo should he run. more ›

Black leaders expressed frustration yesterday after a grand jury voted not to indict Officer Andrew Dunton in the fatal "friendly fire" shooting of fellow Officer Omar Edwards one rainy night in Harlem at the end of May. The Black Law Enforcement Alliance called the decision "disturbingly predictable," and demanded that investigations of police shootings be independent of the Police Department and the district attorney’s office: "The relationship between the police and the local prosecutors is incestuous and threatens public confidence in the integrity of the process." more ›

A grand jury has voted not to indict an NYPD officer who fatally shot another officer chasing a thief through Harlem one rainy night at the end of May. Omar Edwards had just finished his shift and was not in uniform when he found a man breaking into his car. After a scuffle, he gave chase with his gun drawn, but was intercepted by plainclothes officer Andrew Dunton, who ordered him to drop his weapon. Edwards was fatally shot as he turned to face Dunton, and there are conflicting witness accounts as to whether Edwards identified himself as NYPD. more ›

The Plaxico Burress case is now in the hands of the grand jury, who will decide what charges (if any) are coming against the receiver. The News reports that the end of proceedings saw three Giants staffers share their accounts of the fateful November night—Director of Development Charles Way, VP of Medical Services Ronnie Barnes and Coach Jesse Armstead. And before any decision is reached, the Times tries to sift through all of the media gamesmanship on both sides to get at just what actually would be a fair punishment for Burress. One criminal attorney familiar with the standard plea tactics of the DA's office said one year's jail time usually would have been the norm for these sort of charges (Plax's lawyer Benjamin Brafman's offer of one year was allegedly rejected by his former boss, Robert Morgenthau.) Brafman is still whining to the press about the unfairness of the DA's hard stance against his client, now saying he is "deeply saddened by (their) lack of compassion." The grand jury, acting as "the conscience of the community," could decide as early as today if they found a similar sympathy in Plax's testimony. Update: That was fast: Burress was just indicted! more ›

Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce completed his testimony before a grand jury yesterday, concluding two days recounting his involvement in the Plaxico Burress shooting mess last year. Pierce's lawyer sounded confident that the star's defense was as strong on the stand as it is on the field, recounting his testimony that he was helping "save the life of his teammate" by concealing the gun Burress shot himself with and returning it to the receiver's home after getting him to a hospital. His attorney seemed unconcerned with DA Robert Morgenthau's allusions that charges may be coming for Pierce as well, saying, "It was really clear once all the testimony came out that no one could have acted any differently." While the linebacker didn't talk to reporters, he's been all over Twitter discussing the case, saying he would "Draw a line in the Stand and see what side PEOPLE are on." Immediately after testifying, Pierce asked for directions to Giants training camp with bravado, tweeting, "Which way to ALBANY? someone just told me." Naturally the Post's Andrea Peyser was disgusted, thinking about the trip up I-87 bumping K-Ci and Jojo. more ›

Former Giant receiver Plaxico Burress testified for three hours in front of a grand jury today, then followed his time on the witness stand with the first words he's spoken to reporters since the day he shot himself in the leg inside a Manhattan nightclub eight months ago today. Burress said, “I was truthful, I was honest and I am truly remorseful for what I’ve done, what happened and what I did. I just want to thank everybody — family, friends and fans — for their support.” more ›

Eight months after accidentally shooting himself in the leg (with his own gun) at a Manhattan nightclub, Plaxico Burress is going to testify in front of a grand jury tomorrow. According to the Post, his "attorney, Ben Brafman, hopes that his client can convince the grand jury assembled in Manhattan Supreme Court to forgo an indictment." Brafman said, "Mr. Burress is going to ... tell the truth about what happened that night... He's [also] going to ask [the grand jury] to believe that this unfortunate incident should not be used to ruin his life." The Manhattan DA's office, which wants the former Giants player in to go to jail, is also going to seek charges against Burress's teammate Antonio Pierce, because Pierce took Burress's unlicensed gun back to Burress's NJ home. Giants co-owner John Mara called charges against Pierce "unwarranted." more ›

Manhattan DA Robert Morgenthau made it clear today that his office has no plans to let former Giant receiver Plaxico Burress off lightly for the pending gun charges from his November shooting incident. The DA told the Post, "We've always taken the position that he's going to have to go to jail, whether by trial or by plea." more ›

Philip Markoff, the medical student suspected of killing a NYC woman he met on Craigslist in a Boston hotel room, was indicted by a grand jury yesterday. According to the Boston Globe, prosecutors say in the April 14 killing of Julissa Brisman, as well as two other robberies of women he met via Craigslist, Markoff "allegedly used disposable cellphones and temporary e-mail addresses to make appointments, then used plastic ties and duct tape to bind his victims." Prosecutors also revealed that the 9mm gun used to kill Brisman was "purchased in a New Hampshire gun shop in February under [Andrew] Miller's name, though prosecutors found Markoff's fingerprint on paperwork filed with the purchase." Miller's license was found in Markoff's car when he was arrested; investigators do not think Miller was involved in the crimes. The 22-year-old will be arraigned today on charges including first-degree murder, armed robbery and armed kidnapping. more ›

State Senator Hiram Monserrate's claim that one of the grand jurors who voted to indict him for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend is a police officer who works at the very precinct that investigated the Queens Democrat. According to the Daily News, a 105th Precinct cop "recognized one of his colleagues sitting in the jury box" while testifying in front of the grand jury. The cop allegedly told prosecutors, who then told him "not to worry about it"; the cop also told a private investigator working for Monserrate. The state senator's lawyer Joseph Tacopina said, "It was incumbent upon the [prosecutors,] who were aware of the relationship ... to ensure that the grand juror not hear testimony from his fellow officer or participate in the proceedings." Tacopina also says the prosecution's case is flawed beyond this grand juror, suggesting the surveillance video that shows Monserrate "violently" jerking around his girlfriend after the alleged assault was edited together to look damning. Monserrate, in the meantime, has pleaded not guilty to the charges and maintains his innocence. more ›

Questions are being raised about the allegations made by Michael Mineo after this week's grand jury hearings against the officers he is accusing of sodomizing him while he was being arrested last month. Thursday's testimony from key witness and fellow arresting officer Kevin Maloney pointed the finger at Officer Richard Kern as being the one who used his police baton to sodomize Mineo. But Mineo's testimony accused Officer Alex Cruz of being the one who perpetrated the attack. Mineo's lawyer dismisses the discrepancy since Mineo was on the ground and could not have seen clearly which officer it was. Mineo appeared alongside Reverend Al Sharpton at a National Action Network rally today and thanked Sharpton for visiting him in the hospital last month. more ›

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. more ›

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The special investigative grand jury convened in the case of the man who says police sodomized him with a walkie-talkie antenna after he resisted arrest in a Brooklyn subway station will not have an easy time deciding whether to indict the officers because of conflicting witness testimonies. And police sources have contradicted each other when speaking off the record with the Times: One source says the man, Michael Mineo, suffered internal tears just inside his rectum, while another insists the tear was "just above his rectum." Forensic tests on one officer’s equipment found no trace of hair, fibers, bodily tissue, fecal matter or blood. And sources tell the Daily News that one transit cop who came upon the three officers making the arrest approached his commanding officer to make a statement, but a union delegate discouraged him. NYPD commissioner Ray Kelly said yesterday that "the statements of the complainant and the statements of witnesses are so disparate, and charges here so serious, that I think the investigative grand jury is appropriate in this case.” more ›

A week ago, Alain Robert scaled the New York Times Building to make a statement about the lack of government action on environmental issues (here's his website). Naturally, a stunt like that got Robert arrested, but a grand jury has dismissed the misdemeanor charges of trespassing, graffiti, reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct. more ›

The owner of Munchies Bodega in Brownsville Brooklyn, Salah Ahmad, was indicted by a grand jury on assault and other charges for bludgeoning teenager Bunkless Bovian with a hammer. Bovian was placed in a medically induced coma following the incident last month, but has since been released from Brookdale University Hospital. more ›

Embattled City Council Speaker Christine Quinn has decided to proceed through the ongoing city slush fund scandal with the guidance of a defense attorney. Federal and City investigators are looking into the allocation of millions of dollars of budget money to fictional organizations. That money was then funneled to private groups, who often kicked back funds in the form of campaign contributions. more ›

A grand jury voted to indict Janet Redmond-Mercereau for the December murder of her husband. The Staten Island Advance says after keeping the police waiting for a few hours, she was accompanied by her lawyer when she turned herself in. more ›