More good news for ex-NYPD officer Kenneth Moreno, who was acquitted in May of raping a woman in her East Village apartment while he was on duty: DNAinfo reports that a judge has dismissed his misdemeanor heroin possession charge today at the city's request. Because Moreno was sentenced to the maximum penalty of a year in jail for official misconduct related to the rape charge, there was "no criminal justice purpose served to proceed on the two additional misdemeanors stemming from [Moreno]'s possession of two glassine envelopes of heroin found in his locker," the Assistant DA said. more ›

While he appeals his year-long sentence for ripping "a gaping hole" in the fabric of society (technically, official misconduct), it looks like ex-cop Kenneth Moreno will get to keep custody of his daughter—along with the recently bumped up child support from his ex that goes with it. At a hearing today his 14-year-old daughter's law guardian Kathleen Waterman told the court, "At another trial on this matter, [the daughter will] probably stay exactly where she is. That's her preference." more ›

It appears that at least until late on Tuesday afternoon, former NYPD officer Kenneth Moreno remained in custody after being sentenced to a year in jail for official misconduct, despite his attorneys filing an appeal and being granted $125,000 bail. Yesterday Moreno's defense team was still waiting for paperwork to be completed to grant his release from Rikers, although inmate look up denotes Moreno as being released on Monday. Moreno and his former partner, Franklin Mata, were acquitted in May of charges of raping a woman in her East Village apartment. Mata received a 60-day sentence this morning. more ›

Former NYPD officer Franklin Mata was sentenced today to 60 days in jail and three years probation for official misconduct stemming from the rape charges that he and former partner Kenneth Moreno were acquitted of in May. Judge Gregory Carro, who sentenced Moreno to 1 year in jail on Monday after an angry remonstration, told Mata today, "For some reason you continued to carry your partner's bags throughout the trial. Your testimony clearly…it wasn't wholly truthful." The Post reports that Mata gave a "tearful plea" before the sentence: "I never meant for anyone to get hurt that night…I loved my job and worked hard to get where I was, and now it's all gone." more ›

After accused rapist and former cop Kenneth Moreno was sentenced yesterday to 1 year in prison for official misconduct, the Daily News' Joanna Molloy echoed the sentiments of many when she called it a "rare and jarring spectacle." Even the Post's Andrea Peyser praised Judge Carro for letting Moreno "have it square in the jaw." But those gratifying feelings of seeing "the system work" were chilled by the reality of the system itself: just hours after being sentenced and led away to jail, Moreno was released on $125,000 bail pending appeal. His attorneys continue to argue for dismissal. more ›

If it's not one thing, it's another! First not-guilty cop Kenneth Moreno loses his job after being accused of rape (when all he did was spoon with a half-naked drunk woman in her bed), now they're on his case for the heroin they found in his locker. Can't an exonerated "rape cop" catch a break? You may recall that when the allegations against Moreno and his partner Franklin Mata surfaced, investigators found some horse in the locker, for which Moreno still has to answer—that is, if the DA decides to prosecute. Of course, Moreno's lawyer has a very simple explanation for all this. more ›

A few months before they were accused of raping a drunk East Village woman in her apartment, the two police officers charged (and found not guilty) in the incident had another questionable encounter with an inebriated young woman in the neighborhood, the Village Voice reports. The unidentified woman, who was 21 at the time, was interviewed by investigators looking into the rape charges, but the jurors never heard about the incident in court. Here are the broad strokes: more ›

In addition to watching HBO footage of a documentary on the Manhattan DA's sex crimes unit for evidence that should have been turned over at trial, attorneys for the two former NYPD officers accused of raping an East Village woman are arguing that their accuser should not be able to speak at the cops' sentencing on August 8. "She is not a victim on any count of conviction," Joseph Tacopina told the Times, "She's had her day. She's spoken before the jury." Tacopina refers to the charges of "official misconduct" that they were convicted of, and because she is not a "victim" of the charge, should not be able to make a victim impact statement. more ›

The two former cops convicted of misdemeanor official misconduct but acquitted of felony rape charges were supposed to have been sentenced today, but sentencing has been postponed so lawyers can watch outtakes from an HBO documentary. Officer Kenneth Moreno was accused of raping a drunken young woman in her East Village apartment in 2008 while his partner Franklin Mata stood watch. They were acquitted of the most serious charges, but could face up to two years in prison for repeatedly returning to the woman's apartment while they were on duty, and trying to cover it up. more ›

It's been a while since we've been enraged by jurors who voted to acquit two NYPD officers charged with raping a drunken woman in her East Village apartment. At the start of June, juror Melinda Hernandez told DNAinfo, "In my heart of hearts, I believe her that the officers did it." (For good measure, another juror said, "[Officer Kenneth Moreno] raped her. There is no doubt in my mind.") Now, on the eve of the two officers' sentencing for official misconduct, Hernandez has resurfaced with more of the same pointless and infuriating confessions. more ›

A day after he and his partner, Franklin Mata, were acquitted of raping a woman in her East Village apartment, former NYPD officer Kenneth Moreno reportedly filed a request to receive more child support money from his ex-girlfriend Maria Cruz. According to court documents that Cruz gave to The Post, Moreno "cited a change in his personal finances seeking an unspecified bump in the current $50 a month Cruz gives him." Cruz claims that "[Moreno's] just being spiteful. He's angry," and wonders "why should I have to pay for what he did?" more ›

A lack of DNA evidence seems to have been the deciding factor for jurors in the trial of two NYPD officers accused a raping a young woman in her East Village apartment in 2008. DNAinfo tracked down two women who served on the jury, and their comments definitely won't send you flying into a teeth-gnashing, window-smashing rage (assuming you're heavily sedated). "In my heart of hearts, I believe her that the officers did it," juror Melinda Hernandez says. Not to be outdone, another female juror says she's certain they were guilty. more ›

Former NYPD officer Kenneth Moreno may have been found innocent of raping a drunk woman in her East Village apartment two years ago, but some jurors on the Court of Public Opinion continue to declare him guilty. Over the weekend, EV Grieve spotted flyers (below) along the Bowery and Second Avenue; as you can see, they depict Moreno and his former partner Franklin Mata, and identify them as "Rapists." Today a new poster surfaces; a tipster tells us he spotted it "on every surface tape sticks to" on a street corner in Park Slope. These posters name the street where Moreno ostensibly resides (but not the exact address). more ›

Much of the city is still reeling after yesterday's acquittal of "Rape Cops" Kenneth Moreno and Franklin Mata. And for good reason: the officers falsified a 911 call, left and entered the victim's apartment four times; Moreno testified that he had sung Bon Jovi for the victim, spooned with her on her bed, and even admitted to her in person that he had used a condom and that he wanted to be her boyfriend. An article in the Times today interviews the bar owner whose surveillance camera caught the officers entering and leaving the victim's apartment, the crucial piece of evidence that enabled prosecutors to try the cops, and she had but one comment about her state of mind after the verdict: "Heartbroken, and in disbelief." more ›

The NYPD officer accused of acting as a lookout while his partner raped a drunk woman in her East Village apartment in 2008 took the stand today. Under questioning from defense attorneys, Officer Franklin Mata—who is not accused of raping the unidentified woman but faces the same sexual assault rap for allegedly cooperating—the defense strategy became increasingly clear: persuade the jury that the accuser was not so drunk she couldn't have said no, and imply that she may have even led on Officer Kenneth Moreno—though they still maintain nothing happened. more ›

The woman who accuses a NYC police officer of raping her—and his partner of acting as a lookout—was cross-examined yesterday and stood her ground. When alleged rapist Kenneth Moreno's lawyer asked about a statement where she said she believed she was raped, the 29-year-old said, "I never said I believe I was raped. I knew I was raped. I was in shock. I couldn't believe it was the cops." more ›

The trial of two East Village police officers accused of raping a drunk woman they were asked to help continued yesterday with testimony as well as surveillance footage showing the cops and victim enter the building. The Post reports, "The bulk of the video is hugely incriminating, showing accused rapist Officer Kenneth Moreno and accused lookout Officer Franklin Mata making three return trips to the drunken woman's apartment over the course of five hours," but the NY Times notes, "The woman briskly bounds toward a door, making a brief half-turn and gesturing to the police officer just behind her. A few steps back, another officer follows." more ›

The East Village woman accusing an NYPD officer of raping her while his partner stood guard was so drunk that night she sat in a puddle of her own vomit in the back of a taxi for over five minutes, a cab driver testified yesterday. Prosecutors interviewed friends of the unidentified woman and the hack, who had to call 911 because he says she was so drunk she couldn't make it from the cab to her apartment. She had begged the driver to help her get in, but TLC rules prohibit that, and so he called for help, which came in the form of two cops who allegedly took advantage of her in the worst way. more ›

Officer Kenneth Moreno has his work cut out for him beating charges that he raped a drunk woman in her East Village apartment after helping her into her apartment. The alleged victim later recorded a confrontation with Moreno, and though he denied raping her when she was passed out in December 2008, he allegedly told her he used a condom when she threatened to make a scene. But as Moreno's trial (and the trial of his partner, three-year-vet Officer Franklin Mata) kicked off yesterday, his lawyer insisted it was all a big misunderstanding. more ›