Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, April 17, 2019

 

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez Announces Dedicated
Post-Conviction Justice Bureau that Will Include Parole and Clemency Unit,
Sealing Unit and Nationally Recognized Conviction Review Unit

Initiatives Will Include Significant Changes to the Office’s Parole Policies and Robust
Participation in Parole Proceedings, Including Recommending Release After Defendants
Serve the Minimum Sentence as Default Starting Position for Cases That Ended in Guilty Plea

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced the creation of the first dedicated Post-Conviction Justice Bureau in the country. It will be anchored by the nationally recognized Conviction Review Unit and include two new Units: A Parole and Clemency Unit charged with implementing new policies governing the Office’s participation in parole and clemency proceedings for incarcerated individuals, and a Sealing Unit to encourage and facilitate applications to seal criminal convictions.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Our obligation to do justice and to strengthen community trust in the criminal justice system does not end when a conviction becomes final. For many years, this principle has animated the work of our Conviction Review Unit – a national leader in identifying and vacating wrongful convictions – but I believe we need to go even farther in taking second looks and considering second chances. That is why I created a Post-Conviction Justice Bureau. I believe it is the first stand-alone bureau of its kind in the nation, and it has the potential to impact and change thousands of lives.

“If we want to decrease mass incarceration, as I am committed to doing, we cannot only be forward thinking. We must also look at the past and give people second chances.

“One of the game-changing elements of this new Bureau is our approach to parole. For too long, prosecutors across the country have automatically and reflexively opposed release when individuals become eligible for parole. I am committed to stopping this practice and engaging more substantively in parole proceedings to determine whether they should be considered for parole earlier in the process.

“Our CRU started with a recognition that we, collectively as an office, did not always get it right and we have an ongoing obligation to do justice. As views have changed in the communities we serve and in our Office with regard to what we consider just outcomes, we are taking second looks at cases with those new values in mind. Prosecutors have a role not only in addressing wrongful convictions, but in addressing the problems of mass incarceration and mass supervision and in helping eligible people move on with their lives and seal past convictions.

“To that end, I’ve also created a Sealing Unit because I am concerned that more of our Brooklyn residents are not taking advantage of the opportunity to seal their criminal records and find relief from the many collateral consequences of a conviction under CPL 160.59, the statute that went into effect in October 2017.”

The Post-Conviction Justice Bureau will consist of three separate Units:

1. The Parole and Clemency Unit, led by Executive Assistant District Attorney for Court Operations Paul Burns, is charged with directing the Office’s participation in parole proceedings for incarcerated individuals through the analysis of individual cases and the development of policy positions that apply across various categories of cases. Those policy positions are:

• For cases that ended in a guilty plea, our default position will now be that the defendant generally should be released at his or her first parole opportunity (subject to his or her record in prison and other considerations).
• For cases in which juveniles (defined as age 23 or younger at the time of the offense) were sentenced to an indeterminate life sentence, special considerations must go into their parole determinations so that there can be a meaningful inquiry into whether they have matured into appropriate candidates for release.
• We will be developing partnerships with transitional services to bring to our attention defendants whose cases for early parole merit a closer look.
• The Unit will train and guide Assistant District Attorneys throughout the Office on their parole recommendations.
• The Unit will also advise the Office on what position to take on mass supervision contributors such as probation and post-release supervision. Going forward, in plea agreements, the default position on probation for general crimes will be three years (rather than four or five) in felony cases and two years (rather than three) for A misdemeanors. The default position for post-release supervision for general crimes will be the minimum where options are one-and-one-half to three years for D and E violent felonies and two-and-one-half to five years for B and C violent felony offenses. Assistant District Attorneys who wish to deviate from these default positions will be asked to justify their decision in writing.
• It will also serve as the principal contact with the Governor’s Office and advise him on applications for clemency.

2. The Conviction Review Unit, led by Unit Chief Mark Hale, will continue to conduct painstaking, thorough and intensive investigations into cases to determine whether convictions should stand. The CRU has moved to vacate 25 convictions since its creation in 2014 and reviewed approximately 85 cases. It recently also began the practice of publishing detailed reports, available on the DA’s Office’s website, of the wrongful conviction and lessons learned from it.

3. The newly-created Sealing Unit, led by Unit Chief Lisa Perlman, encourages and facilitates applications to seal criminal convictions under CPL 160.59, the New York State statute that went into effect in October 2017. The Unit has been working with the Office of Court Administration on methods that would make it easier for applicants to apply for sealing on their own, including addressing mandatory fees and creating a more user-friendly application. It also will partner with our own Office of Public Engagement to spread the word in our communities, to encourage more applications and to help resolve them expeditiously.

The Post-Conviction Justice Bureau is also charged with studying and facilitating opportunities for reviewing excessive sentences. The Bureau will also work with our Legislative Counsel Diem Tran to develop and support legislative solutions for post-conviction justice.

The District Attorney announced that Mark Hale will serve as the Chief of the Post-Conviction Justice Bureau, with Eric Sonnenschein serving as Deputy Chief, and will report to the District Attorney’s General Counsel Tali Farhadian Weinstein, who led the design and creation of the new Bureau as part of Justice 2020, District Attorney Gonzalez’s action plan for criminal justice reform.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, April 11, 2019

 

Off-Duty Police Officer Convicted of Gunpoint Robbery
Of Brooklyn Man Outside of Bushwick Nightclub

Defendant and Unapprehended Accomplice Captured on Surveillance Video;
Victim was Pistol Whipped and Made to Undress and Then Arrested

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that an off-duty New York City Police Officer has been convicted of assault and robbery for robbing a man of cash, jewelry and a cellphone at gunpoint and pistol-whipping him outside of a Bushwick nightclub.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant’s actions were truly abhorrent: Not only did he commit a gunpoint robbery, he then falsely accused others of robbing him. That he was a police officer sworn to protect and serve make this conduct even more outrageous. With this verdict, the defendant has been held accountable for his disturbing conduct. I remain committed to prosecute without fear or favor anyone who engages in violence in our communities.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Anthony Delacruz, 35, formerly of the 94th Precinct in Brooklyn. He was convicted yesterday following a jury trial before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Jane Tully of one count of first-degree robbery, two counts of second-degree robbery, two counts of second-degree assault, one count of second-degree menacing, one count of third-degree falsely reporting an incident, and two counts of improper display of number plates. The defendant was remanded and immediately fired by the NYPD following the verdict. He faces up to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced on April 29, 2019.

The District Attorney said that, according to trial testimony, on May 28, 2016 at approximately 3:30 a.m., at Wyckoff Avenue and Grove Street, near the El Mekkah Bar and Grill, officers responded to a 911 call for shots fired. Responding officers were told by then- Officer Delacruz – who did not initially identify himself as a police officer or state that he had fired his service weapon – that he was off-duty and in his personal vehicle when he was surrounded by several individuals who stole his gold chain, Rolex watch and a gold ring before they fled. Officer Delacruz said that he then chased after the perpetrators and exchanged gunfire with them, firing his gun once and that there were possibly two shots returned.

While on scene, Officer Delacruz pointed to a group of people who he said were involved in the robbery. All were taken into custody, and video evidence taken from El Mekkah Bar and Grill definitively showed that none of the men identified by Officer Delacruz were involved in the alleged robbery. The men were visible on camera in a different location from where the alleged robbery occurred.

Officer Delacruz and an unidentified accomplice were captured on video confronting another man who was hiding behind a car. The video further shows Officer Delacruz pointing his service weapon at that man.

Furthermore, according to the evidence presented at trial, the defendant, his accomplice and the man who was hiding go off camera. When they return to camera view the unidentified accomplice is carrying clothing and sneakers and he and Officer Delacruz walk away. The victim can later be seen on camera dressed only in a t-shirt, boxer shorts and with no shoes. The evidence showed at trial that the victim was pistol-whipped by the defendant and DNA recovered from the muzzle of the officer’s gun belonged to the victim. A shell casing recovered at the scene matched the defendant’s gun.

During the course of the investigation, Officer Delacruz identified the pistol-whipped victim as one of the men who robbed him. He was arrested and charges that were filed in connection with that alleged incident were later dismissed.

The defendant was taken to a hospital following the events. It was determined he was not in possession of his shield while armed and had an odor of alcohol on his breath, according to the evidence, and was therefore unfit for duty.

Finally, according to the evidence, on the night of the robbery the defendant had New Jersey plates that did not belong to his vehicle on his car and on a later date also had fake New Jersey plates on his car.

The case was investigated by the New York City Police Department’s Force Investigations Division and Internal Affairs Bureau.

KCDA Analyst Ruby Sandoval, Senior Assistant District Attorney Jane Kim and Assistant District Attorney Aaron Nottage, Deputy Unit Chief, all of the District Attorney’s Crime Strategies Unit, and Assistant District Attorney Joyce Slevin, of the District Attorney’s Appeals Bureau, assisted in the case.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Danielle Eaddy, Chief of the District Attorney’s Trial Bureau Grey Zone, Senior Assistant District Attorney Mathew Midey and Assistant District Attorney Michael Solomon, both of the Grey Zone, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Joseph Alexis, Chief of the District Attorney’s Trial Division.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, April 10, 2019

 

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 32 Years to Life in Prison for Fatally Shooting Man and Wounding Bystander Inside Bedford-Stuyvesant Deli

Defendant Was Recorded on Surveillance Video Firing Weapon

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 32 years to life in prison for fatally shooting an innocent 38-year-old man with whom his girlfriend was romantically involved and wounding an innocent bystander inside a Bedford-Stuyvesant deli.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This is just another example of senseless gun violence that cut short the life of a well-regarded member of the community and endangered everyone in that deli that morning, including a senior citizen who was shot in the hand. We will not tolerate gun violence in Brooklyn and will continue to pursue justice in these cases.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Maurice Hennegan, 25, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. The defendant was sentenced to 32 years to life in prison by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Vincent Del Giudice. He was convicted of second-degree murder and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance on March 5, 2019, following a jury trial.

The District Attorney said that, according to trial testimony, on September 28, 2016, at approximately 7:24 a.m., the defendant went looking for victim Neil Thompson, 38, after the defendant confronted his estranged girlfriend with whom the victim had a relationship. The defendant drove past the laundromat the victim managed with his mother, near the corner of Hart Street and Tompkins Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. The defendant saw the victim was not inside the laundromat and double-parked his car.

The defendant entered a deli at the corner of Hart Street and Tompkins Avenue where Thompson was buying breakfast and repeatedly opened fire with a revolver, according to testimony. A 64-year-old bystander was struck in the hand. Thompson fell to the floor, face down, and the defendant shot him four times in the back from pointblank range.

Following the shooting, according to testimony, the defendant wore glasses and a fake mustache, grew out his hair and used a cane to disguise his appearance. He admitted his guilt in several text messages to his associates, according to the evidence, and surveillance video recovered from inside the deli shows the defendant pointing a gun and firing at the victim.

The defendant was arrested February 16, 2017 on Varet Street near Manhattan Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He had 19 twists of crack-cocaine on him at the time of his arrest.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Chow Xie of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Daniel Murphy of the District Attorney’s Blue Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Timothy Gough, Homicide Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, April 10, 2019

 

Three Men, Including South Carolina Resident, Indicted for Trafficking Guns Purchased in the South to Sell on Brooklyn Streets

Thirty-Six Handguns Purchased During 10-Month-Long Undercover Police Operation;
Second Indictment Charges Three Individuals with Narcotics Sales

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York City Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill, today announced the indictment of an alleged gun trafficking ring that purchased firearms in South Carolina that were then transported on the Iron Pipeline and destined to be sold on the streets of Brooklyn.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “The guns that were recovered as part of this investigation are exactly the types of weapons used to commit violence in our communities. These indictments reflect our continued commitment to focusing on drivers of crime, maintaining public safety and stopping the influx of guns into Brooklyn from Southern states with lax gun laws. I thank the police and my prosecutors for their joint efforts in this case.”

Commissioner O’Neill said, “The NYPD will tirelessly target not only those who might use illegal firearms, but also those who would profit from their sale. I want to thank our local state and federal law enforcement partners involved in bringing the members of this illegal gun and drug trafficking network to answer for their crimes.”

The District Attorney identified the defendants as Markie Brown, 44, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn; Darryl Currie, 49, of Oakland Gardens, Queens; and Craig Darby, 46, of Conway, South Carolina. The defendants have been variously charged with first-, second- and third-degree criminal sale of a firearm; first-, second- and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon; and fourth-degree conspiracy. They were arraigned before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice William Harrington who set bail at $250,000 for Brown and $100,000 for Currie and ordered the defendants to return to court on May 20, 2019. Darby is awaiting extradition from South Carolina.

Currie and Dorian Cabrera, 47, of Rosedale, Queens were arraigned on a separate indictment in which they and Fred Chapman, 46, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, are variously charged with second- and fourth-degree conspiracy; second- and third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. Cabrera was ordered held on $25,000 bail and Chapman will be arraigned at a later date.

The District Attorney said the investigation began in June 2018, when an undercover detective allegedly purchased four handguns from defendant Brown in Brooklyn. The indictment alleges that an undercover detective purchased a total of 36 guns during 11 transactions, in the vicinity of Fulton Street and Broadway in East New York and, later, in the vicinity of DeKalb Avenue and Throop Avenue, in Bedford-Stuyvesant.

It is alleged that, as part of the conspiracy, Darby and Currie provided Brown with firearms that he then sold to the undercover detective. The weapons were allegedly purchased legally in South Carolina and brought to Brooklyn for resale.

The defendants allegedly sold a wide variety of firearms to the undercover, including: a Glock 9mm pistol, a Springfield Armory 9mm pistol, a Ruger .380 caliber pistol, a Taurus International .45 caliber pistol, a .40 caliber pistol, a Sig-Sauer .22 caliber pistol, a Ruger 9mm and others, as well as hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

Furthermore, the District Attorney said, it is alleged that defendant Chapman operated as the primary supplier of heroin to re-sellers who operated within Brooklyn and elsewhere. Chapman would allegedly travel to Brooklyn and elsewhere to deliver heroin to his re-sellers, including Cabrera, who then allegedly resold that heroin to Currie. Currie then allegedly sold the heroin to multiple individuals.

The investigation was conducted by New York City Police Department Detective William Reddin, with the assistance of Detective Charles Lovett, under the supervision of Sergeant Eric Francis, Sergeant Matthew Griffin, Lieutenant James Donovan, and Commanding Officer Captain Jonathan Korabel, under the supervision of Firearms Suppression Section Commanding Officer Deputy Inspector Brian Gill, and the overall supervision of Gun Violence Suppression Division Commanding Officer Inspector Richard Green.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Thomas Teplitsky and Assistant District Attorney Maria Paolillo, of the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Jonathan R. Sennett, Deputy Chief, and Assistant District Attorney Nicole Chavis, VCE Bureau Chief, under the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief of District Attorney’s Investigations Division.

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An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

Materials from the press conference can be accessed via this link:
https://brooklynda-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/yanivo_brooklynda_org/ElGaWGDNoXVCnDu3uxTQxZUBzfQD5hWgH7QEibu363hHaQ?e=kNHsUH

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, April 8, 2019

 

Brooklyn Man Convicted of Murder of Williamsburg Businessman
During Botched Abduction in 2014

Defendant Faces Up to 25 Years to Life in Prison

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Crown Heights man has been convicted of kidnapping and murder for the 2014 botched abduction of Williamsburg businessman Menachem Stark.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “With today’s verdict this defendant has been brought to justice for the murder of Menachem Stark, which devastated his wife and seven children. This was a cold-blooded kidnapping that resulted in the death of a businessman and member of the Williamsburg community. This verdict holds the defendant accountable for his role in this tragic and senseless death.”

The District Attorney today identified the defendant as Erskin Felix, 40, of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. He was convicted of first-degree kidnapping, second-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence following a jury trial before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun. He faces up to 25 years to life in prison when he is sentenced on May 1, 2019.

The District Attorney said that, according to trial testimony, on January 2, 2014, at approximately 11:30 p.m., during a blizzard, the defendant and his cousin Kendel Felix, 31, ambushed Menachem Stark, 39, on the street as he left his office, located at 331 Rutledge Street in Williamsburg, and abducted him with the intention of holding him for ransom. Erskin Felix worked as a contractor for the victim and his cousin, Kendel Felix, did construction work for him.

After the victim fought unsuccessfully to escape, the defendants forced him into a Dodge minivan, bound his arms and legs with duct tape, taped his mouth and placed a ski mask over his head. Kendel drove away while Erskin restrained Stark in the back of the van by sitting on his chest, according to testimony. Erskin and Kendel picked up defendant Kendall Felix (Erskin’s brother) and they drove to the home of Irvine Henry (another cousin), the evidence showed.

Upon arrival, they discovered that the victim was dead due to Erskin’s actions in trying to subdue him, according to the evidence. The defendants attempted to return to the kidnapping scene to retrieve the victim’s Lexus SUV, but saw police on the scene.

Erskin then directed Kendel and Kendall to drive to Long Island to dispose of the body, the evidence showed. They drove to Nassau County, threw the body in a dumpster and set it on fire.
Approximately 17 hours later, a Nassau County police officer found the partially burned body in a garbage dumpster behind a gas station in Great Neck, Long Island. An autopsy determined that the cause of death was asphyxia by compression of the neck and chest.

A jury convicted Kendel Felix of first-degree kidnapping and second-degree murder in September 2016. He is awaiting sentencing.

Kendall Felix pleaded guilty to second-degree conspiracy and first-degree hindering prosecution last month and was sentenced to 2 1/3 to 7 years in prison over the objection of the prosecution.

Irvine Henry pleaded guilty to hindering prosecution and attempted tampering with physical evidence in February 2017. He is awaiting sentencing.

The case was investigated by New York City Police Detective Christopher Scarry of the 90th Precinct Detective Squad, under the supervision of Lieutenant Seamus Doherty. Detective Herbert Martin and other members of the Brooklyn North Homicide Squad assisted in the investigation, under the supervision of Lieutenant John Tennant.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Emily Dean, of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Howard Jackson, Deputy Chief of the Homicide Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Christopher Blank, a Bureau Chief in the District Attorney’s Investigations Division and Assistant District Attorney Timothy Gough, Homicide Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, April 2, 2019

 

Gravesend Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Death of 3-Year-Old Boy

Beating Left Victim Brain Dead, Cause of Death was Abusive Head and Neck Trauma

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Gravesend man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for the beating death of his girlfriend’s 3-year-old son, Jaden Jordan. He pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter last month.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This was a senseless death of a helpless little boy who was left in the defendant’s care. There is no excuse ever, under any circumstances, for beating a child. Today’s sentence is a small measure of justice for Jaden and his devastated family.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Salvatore Lucchesse, 26, of Gravesend, Brooklyn. The defendant was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Deborah Dowling to 15 years in prison. He pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter on March 19, 2019.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, the victim, Jaden Jordan, 3, was left home alone with the defendant while the victim’s mother was at work, between approximately 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., on November 28, 2016. At some point while in the defendant’s care, the toddler allegedly defecated on himself. At approximately 4:30 p.m., emergency personnel responded to the victim’s home after the defendant called 911 and reported that the child was unconscious.

The victim, found soiled and unresponsive, was taken to Coney Island Hospital and then transferred to Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center where he remained after falling into a coma. Later examination revealed that Jaden had sustained severe head trauma and a fractured skull. He was removed from life support on Saturday, December 3, 2016, and died the same day. The Office of the New York City Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide, finding the cause of death to be abusive head and neck trauma.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Linda Weinman, of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Kelly Casey, Deputy Bureau Chief, under the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Miss Gregory, Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wedneskday, March 27, 2019

 

East New York Man Sentenced to State Prison
For Attempted Promoting Prostitution of 14-Year-Old Girl

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that an East New York man has been sentenced to up to six years in prison for attempted promoting prostitution and rape following his guilty plea last month.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “With today’s sentence this defendant is held accountable for his actions and the young victim in the case was spared from having to testify against her abuser in court. This case is representative of my continuing commitment to seek justice for vulnerable young women who are exploited and forced into prostitution.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Travis Walker, 28, of East New York, Brooklyn. He pleaded guilty to first-degree attempted promoting prostitution and second-degree rape on January 23, 2019. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun to an indeterminate term of three to six years on the attempted promoting prostitution count and a determinate term of five years on the second-degree rape count. The judge ordered the sentences to run concurrently. The defendant must also register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, between May 25, 2018 and June 18, 2018, the defendant prostituted a 14-year-old girl on multiple occasions in Brooklyn, forcing her to walk the streets in the middle of the night to pick up strangers to have sex for money, as well as at his house, at a Borough Park hotel, and at a bachelor party in Williamsburg. The defendant also raped the victim.

The defendant withheld food from the victim; used force, including kicking her in her back with his boots; and forced her to give him any money she earned from prostitution.

After a woman who was also working as a prostitute for the defendant learned the victim’s true age, that woman helped the teenager get away from the defendant’s house, according to the investigation. The victim was later spotted on a Brooklyn street by her aunt, who contacted her parents, who then called police.

The case was investigated by New York City Police Department Detective Jacob Merino and Detective Elizabeth Gonzalez, of the Vice Human Trafficking Team, under the supervision of Lieutenant Christopher Sharpe and Captain Thomas Milano, and the overall supervision of Inspector James Klein. Police Officer Tony Cuoco of the NYPD’s 75th Precinct assisted in the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney David Weiss, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Human Trafficking Unit, with the assistance of Victim Services Unit Human Trafficking Social Worker Tracy Sun, under the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Miss Gregory, Chief of the Special Victims Bureau.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, March 22, 2019

 

Former NYPD Sergeant Indicted for Tampering with Evidence
At Scene Where He Shot and Wounded Another Man

Defendant Allegedly Planted Knife at Scene of Off-Duty Shooting, Then Retrieved It

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York City Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill, today announced that a former New York City Police Sergeant has been indicted for tampering with evidence for allegedly planting a knife at the scene of a shooting and then retrieving the knife, according to surveillance video.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “The entirety of the evidence in this case was presented to a grand jury, which considered all of the defendant’s actions and returned an indictment charging him with tampering with evidence. This is a shocking offense, especially given the defendant’s obligations as a police officer, and we intend to hold him accountable for his alleged conduct.”

Commissioner O’Neill said, “By swiftly moving to terminate former Sergeant Ritchard Blake in August of 2018, the department sends a clear and unambiguous message that criminal conduct will not be tolerated within the ranks of the NYPD.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Ritchard Blake, 40, who was assigned to the 109th Precinct in Flushing, Queens at the time of the incident. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Ruth Shillingford on an indictment in which he is charged with two counts of tampering with physical evidence. The defendant was released without bail and ordered to return to court on April 17, 2019. He faces up to four years in prison if convicted.

The District Attorney said that on August 2, 2018, at approximately 5 a.m., in front of 650 Livonia Avenue, in East New York, Brooklyn, the defendant was captured on video surveillance being followed by Thavone Santana, with whom he had a verbal dispute hours earlier, according to the investigation.

The publicly-available surveillance video captures the two men addressing each other after Santana approached the defendant from behind with his left hand inside his left shorts pocket. The video surveillance shows that when Santana – who had his left hand in his pocket throughout the entire interaction – advanced towards the defendant, the defendant, while backing away, fired one shot, striking Santana in the mouth. The defendant was then captured on video surveillance searching Santana’s left shorts pocket. No weapon was found in his pocket, but police later recovered a razor blade on the ground next to Santana, according to the investigation.

Immediately thereafter, the defendant is captured on video surveillance removing a knife from his own back pants pocket and dropping it on the ground next to Santana. Within seconds, after looking up at a surveillance camera, the defendant picked the knife back up and put it back into the same back pants pocket.

The case was investigated by the NYPD’s Force Investigations Division, under the supervision of Sergeant Emanuel Vizzotti.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Patrick O’Connor, Chief of the District Attorney’s Law Enforcement Accountability Bureau, under the supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney Joseph Alexis, Chief of the District Attorney’s Trial Division, and the overall supervision of Tali Farhadian Weinstein, General Counsel.

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An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, March 22, 2019

 

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison Following his Guilty Plea for Strangulation Death of His Wife During an Argument

Defendant Confessed to his Landlord the Next Day

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a 57-year-old Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison following his guilty plea to first-degree manslaughter for strangling his wife. The defendant strangled the victim during an argument inside their Flatlands apartment in September 2017.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “In Brooklyn, we are committed to seeking justice for all victims of intimate partner violence. This defendant attacked and killed the woman he vowed to love and protect. He has now been held accountable for his actions.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Loiseau Desmoulins, 57, of Flatlands, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Jill Konviser to 20 years in prison and five years’ post-release supervision. The defendant pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in January.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on September 4, 2017, at approximately 11 p.m., inside an apartment located at 3215 Avenue J, in Flatlands, Brooklyn, the defendant strangled his wife by placing his hands around her neck. The victim, 64-year-old Marie Loiseau, and the defendant were married the previous year.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, the defendant confessed to his landlord whom he saw outside of the building the following morning. The landlord called the police, but when they arrived, the defendant told the responding officers and emergency medical technicians that he found his wife in that condition. The victim also suffered an injury to her head. Following his arrest, the defendant made a video statement to the police admitting that he strangled his wife until she was no longer breathing.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Sabeeha Madni, of the District Attorney’s Domestic Violence Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michelle Weber, Elder Abuse Unit Chief, under the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michelle L. Kaminsky, Domestic Violence Bureau Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, March 21, 2019

 

Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office Partners with CUNY Institute for
State and Local Governance on Data and Transparency Initiative

Revamping Agency’s Data and Analytical Capacity Will Improve its Practice and
Allow for Better Decision-Making, Greater Accountability and Transparency;
Program Fulfills one of Justice 2020’s Recommendations

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with the CUNY Institute for State and Local Governance (ISLG), today announced a Data and Transparency Initiative that will improve the DA’s Office’s ability to track and analyze its data, allowing for better evaluation of prosecutors’ decision-making, enhanced transparency and an increased ability to assess the effectiveness of its policies. The partnership represents an important step in fulfilling the recommendation of  DA Gonzalez’s Justice 2020 Committee to “establish a data/analytics team to drive metrics, best practices and reform.” More information on the partnership is available here.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “A twenty-first century, progressive prosecutor’s office must be guided by data, which informs policies and allows for greater accountability and transparency. This unique collaboration will make my Office smarter, more focused, more mission-driven and will put us in the best position to gauge the effectiveness of our Justice 2020 initiatives. We intend to share what we learn with other prosecutorial agencies, researchers and the public.”

ISLG Executive Director Michael Jacobson said, “We are very pleased to partner on this initiative, which will lay the foundation for data-driven decision-making across the Office and strengthen the DA’s commitment to fairness and equal justice. By investing in data and analytics, DA Gonzalez is taking an important step towards transparency and accountability that can serve as a model for other offices across the nation.”

The first phase of the partnership – which is already well underway – is a one-year capacity-building project in which ISLG is helping the DA’s Office identify and implement a series of measures to improve its ability to track, analyze, and use the data that speaks to its most important policy and practice goals. This work began with a diagnostic review of current data, systems and practices to identify the extent to which current capacity supports operational, measurement, and evaluation needs; what gaps exist; and what steps can be taken to fill those gaps. Much of the initial assessment has been completed and ISLG introduced its findings to the DA in February 2019.

The second step is a nine-month implementation phase during which ISLG will work with the DA’s staff to implement the steps identified as most critical for monitoring and evaluating the Office’s highest priority questions – including those related to Justice 2020 progress and outcomes – and informing the decision-making of Brooklyn prosecutors.

Justice 2020 is DA Gonzalez’s plan of action aimed at keeping Brooklyn safe and strengthening community trust by ensuring fairness and equal justice for all. It is made up of 17 specific recommendations that are being implemented to radically transform his Office into a model of a progressive prosecutorial agency in the 21^st Century.

Once the above-described data system improvements have been put in place, ISLG will follow up with an analysis of prosecutorial decision-making. This analysis will focus on five key decision points: case acceptance, charging, pretrial release, disposition, and plea bargaining. Ultimately, this work will not only help the DA’s Office evaluate the effectiveness of Justice 2020 reforms, but also provide information to other prosecutorial offices and the broader community, and set an example for data-driven reforms that ensure both public safety and fairness.

The new case management system will allow the Office to identify relevant metrics, generate reports both internally and publicly, conduct deeper analyses of performance, partner with external researchers, and more.

The project is being jointly funded by Arnold Ventures through its National Partnership for Pretrial Justice and the William T. Grant Foundation.

The Data and Transparency Initiative is being implemented by William Power, the District Attorney’s Chief Information Officer, and Jeremy Shockett, First Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Trial Division, under the overall supervision of Jill Harris, Chief of Policy and Strategy and the Director of Justice 2020.

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