I've got a problem with that I guess. That was a local sting operation and they were leeching off the local system - that money should stay local. Correct me if I'm missing something there.
By SCOTT WALDMAN Last updated: 12:32 p.m., Monday, September 1, 2008
SCHENECTADY - Schenectady police said they are investigating an early morning homicide.
At 7:25 a.m., a report of multiple shots fired led police to 933 Albany Street. A 40-year-old man inside the house was taken to Ellis Hospital and later pronounced dead, police said.
Police said his name has not yet been released and an autopsy is being conducted today. No arrests have been made in the case. Police have not determined if the victim was a resident of the house.
Anyone with information is asked to call 788-6566.
Wow...the gazette on line really went to the extreme on this one, huh?
Man, 40, found dead following reports of shots Monday, September 1, 2008 By Michael Goot (Contact) Gazette Reporter
Text Size: A | A | A SCHENECTADY — A 40-year-old man is dead following a shooting early this morning. Police received a 911 call at 7;25 a.m. reporting that multiple shots were fired inside the residence at 933 Albany St. When officers arrived, they found the victim inside. He was transported to Ellis Hospital where he was later pronounced dead. Authorities do not know whether the victim resided at the address and his identity is not yet being released. An autopsy is scheduled to be conducted today. No arrests have been made and no further details were available. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call police at 788-6566. Crime scene tape was hung in front of the two-story white house. Neighbors reported not hearing gunshots, only the commotion when emergency personnel arrived. This is the city’s sixth homicide of the year and its fifth gunshot death. On July 6, 30-year-old Anthony Ruiz was gunned down inside an apartment at 527 Hattie St. Police said Ruiz was there with a small gathering of friends and at some point an argument broke out between Ruiz and another person. Zachary Epperson, 31, of Carrie Street has been charged with manslaughter. Andre D. Green, 20, formerly of Brooklyn, was gunned down in front of the Mont Pleasant Bakery on Crane Street on June 8. On May 31, 18-year-old Foday Kpoto of Maryland, a Schenectady High School graduate, was shot near Becker Street. On April 15, 28-year-old Anthony M. Brown was shot to death on Bridge Street. Eshon Guy, 32, of 304 Strong St. has been charged in the case. On Feb. 29, 30-year-old Mary Jeoney was found dead in the basement of 841 Stanley St. An autopsy revealed the cause of death was strangulation. Richard Heinze, Jr., 35, has been charged with first-degree murder in the case.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Schenectady officer faces charges It's still not clear whether any of the other four policemen will be indicted in restaurant incident
By PAUL NELSON, Staff writer First published: Thursday, September 4, 2008
SCHENECTADY -- A Schenectady County grand jury has indicted at least one city police officer in connection with his alleged role in a police brutality case. But it was unclear Wednesday whether any of the four others involved in the confrontation last winter with Donald Randolph at a restaurant parking lot will face criminal charges.
Albany attorney Stephen Coffey, who is representing Patrolman Andrew Karaskiewicz, said his client will be arraigned Friday, possibly on assault charges.
He said he was unaware of when the grand jury indicted Karaskiewicz, but said he planned to enter a not-guilty plea and would have more to say about the case afterward.
The attorney for one of the other officers also confirmed Wednesday evening that she would be in court Friday morning before Judge Karen Drago with her client, but didn't know if he would be indicted.
Attorney Cheryl Coleman, who represents Officer Eric Reyell, said she spoke several times Tuesday with the state attorney general's prosecutor who handled the case, but was unable to get any straight answers.
"He would not say what, if any, action the grand jury took and what the nature of the proceedings we're appearing for," Coleman said, noting that is "highly unusual."
"I get the distinct feeling something weird is going on and it's a disappointment to them," she added.
Karaskiewicz and Reyell along with officers Daryl Mallard, Gregory Hafensteiner, Kevin Derkowski are accused of beating and stomping the 38-year-old Pattersonville man in Union Street McDonald's parking lot and again at a second location en route to police headquarters during the early morning hours of Dec. 7. They have been suspended with pay since late December.
The case is being handled by the state Attorney General's Office. Lee Park, a spokesman with the AG's office, declined to comment Wednesday afternoon.
In May, Randolph pleaded guilty in City Court to a misdemeanor second-degree unlicensed operation after originally facing felony driving while intoxicated and second-degree harassment, a violation. He is suing the department.
More recently, a grand jury voted not to indict Randolph on unrelated charges he raped a female acquaintance in July.
Coleman, a former prosecutor herself for 15 years, said the grand jury can do one of four things on Friday: vote to indict; return a no bill, which means no charges are lodged; issue a grand jury report; or direct a prosecutor to file a misdemeanor charge to a lower court.
Paul Nelson can be reached at 454-5347 or by e-mail at pnelson@timesunion.com.
Ex-chief's stepson gets plea deal offer Prosecutors mum on details of sentence that Miles Smith would face
By LAUREN STANFORTH, Staff writer First published: Thursday, September 4, 2008
SCHENECTADY -- The stepson of former Schenectady police chief Gregory T. Kaczmarek has been offered a plea deal to resolve charges that he was involved in a drug ring along with his mother and 22 other people. Miles Smith, 20, faces conspiracy charges for his alleged involvement in the ring, which investigators say moved drugs from Long Island to Schenectady. Seventeen of 24 people indicted on drug and conspiracy charges in the case earlier this year have pleaded guilty.
A conference scheduled for Smith and two other defendants in Schenectady County Court was adjourned Wednesday. But Michael Sharpe, an assistant deputy state attorney general, said Wednesday that plea deals are on the table for Smith, Israel Torres and Daniel Evans, and that the cases will be heard in Schenectady County Court Wednesday.
Attorney David Taffany, who is listed as Smith's attorney in the Schenectady County Court docket, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
Sharpe said he couldn't discuss the details of the deals offered.
Another defendant, Hector Gomez, is scheduled for a court hearing on Sept. 19, Sharpe said. Police have yet to locate and arrest defendants Maximo Doe and Wilfred Cordero on the charges.
Lisa Kaczmarek, who is Smith's mother and Kaczmarek's wife, has filed motions in anticipation of her case going to trial.
By JIMMY VIELKIND, Staff writer Last updated: 9:56 p.m., Thursday, September 4, 2008
SCHENECTADY - A man was hospitalized Thursday night after he was slashed, police said.
The man, whose name was not released, walked into the Quizno's sandwich shop on Erie Boulevard around 8:20 p.m. and said he had been attacked by two men with a knife, Officer Kevin Green said.
Officers were looking for two men who fled toward State Street on foot, but no one was immediately arrested, Green said. The victim was taken to Ellis Hospital, but his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
SCHENECTADY Three city police officers face misconduct charges BY STEVEN COOK Gazette Reporter
Three Schenectady police officers were arraigned Friday morning on misdemeanor charges of official misconduct stemming from their alleged failure to follow proper procedures during a December arrest. The officers, Eric Reyell, 29, Gregory Hafensteiner, 30, and Andrew Karaskiewicz, 38, were cleared of allegations that they beat suspect Donald Randolph, their attorneys said. Prosecutors from the state attorney general’s office called the charges a reminder that officers must obey the law themselves. Defense lawyers and the police union head, however, called the charges “ridiculous” and “meaningless misdemeanors.” Hafensteiner attorney Michael McDermott said “He feels relieved that he’s vindicated that as police officer, he did a good job. And now to be brought into criminal court for failing to file a form, is pretty disappointing.” The three were arraigned in Schenectady County Court before Judge Karen Drago. All three pleaded innocent and were released on their own recognizance. Not indicted and not being prosecuted are Daryl Mallard and Kevin Derkowski, who were also present at Randolph’s arrest. Reyell, Hafensteiner and Karaskiewicz are accused of failing to complete a “use of force” form regarding the arrest of Randolph. Reyell is also accused of failing to have his vehicle camera on during “events involving Donald Randolph.” State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, in a statement, said the indicted officers broke the law. Cuomo’s office received the case after the Schenectady County district attorney’s office recused itself. “While carrying out their critical mission of enforcing the law against others, police officers must also obey the law themselves,” Cuomo said. “Only through mutual respect between New York’s citizens and police, and respect of the law by all, can we keep New York safe.” Mayor Brian U. Stratton and Public Safety Commissioner Wayne Bennett issued a statement Friday afternoon reaffirming their position that the outside investigation was appropriate. “With the conclusion of the Grand Jury investigation, the Professional Standards Unit of the Schenectady Police Department will immediately commence their administrative investigation into possible violations of department rules and regulations by all five officers,” they said. Hafensteiner, Karaskiewicz, and Reyell, who had been on paid suspension, were all suspended without pay on Friday. Derkowski and Mallard were to remain suspended with pay pending completion of an administrative interview next week, at which time a decision will be made on whether they will return to duty. Randolph alleged that one or more officers used excessive force and he was injured as they were arresting him for allegedly driving while intoxicated. Randolph’s family alleged that a half-dozen officers beat him while arresting him, and after Randolph tried to use a cellphone to call his girlfriend for help. Randolph was not seriously injured. CHARGES REDUCED As a result of the accusations, five officers, including the three indicted, were placed on paid leave. They have been out since late December. By May, the city had already paid them more than $110,000 to stay home. Also by May, the original charges against Randolph fell apart. Karaskiewicz, the arresting offi cer, never did sobriety tests and never saw Randolph driving, District Attorney Robert Carney said previously. Randolph ultimately pleaded guilty to misdemeanor aggravated unlicensed operation, not felony drunk driving, which was the original charge. But Randolph’s accusations also went nowhere. The grand jury chose not to indict any of the offi - cers on the accusations of excessive force, instead, accusing them of not following procedures. The defense attorneys argued that the procedure accusations do not rise to the level of a criminal charge and should have been handled in-house. They will move to dismiss the charges, they said. The officers appeared in court with the support of several fellow officers. Half the gallery was filled with plain-clothed officers and family. Among them was Lt. Robert Hamilton, police union president. He blasted the charges afterward. Hamilton said the officers were rushed back to the road after the incident and returned later to fi le paperwork. The use of force form was forgotten. “One department form wasn’t filled out and they’re charged with a crime?” Hamilton said. “Don’t you see a problem with that?” He also noted that for the charges to hold up, the officers would have had to have gained some benefi t from their actions. Hamilton said he doesn’t see how they could have benefited. “I can’t find any logic in this circus they put together,” Hamilton said. “The officers won’t be pleading guilty to anything. They should be apologized to.” USE OF FORCE FORMS Friday’s indictments also shed light on the use of force form procedures, as well as the in-car cameras. The forms themselves were fi rst required in July 2006. In the 16 months following, nearly 500 were filed, officials said in March. November and December 2007 forms were released to The Sunday Gazette under a Freedom of Information Law request in March. No forms from the Randolph case were released. The forms showed officers used a range of force, from “resistant handcuffing” to pointing a service weapon at a suspect. Bennett, who has changed and updated several policies in his nearly 12 months on the job, said then he was satisfied with the use of force policy. However, he said he reserved the right to modify it in the future. The U.S. Justice Department has had an ongoing investigation into the police department since 2002, looking into, among other things, whether officers used excessive force in the five years prior. In a March 2003 letter the Justice Department recommended revamping a vague policy on the use of force. The policy also followed a highprofile lawsuit by the New York Civil Liberties Union on the subject. An NYCLU Freedom of Information Law request was stymied, as no use of force form existed. Instead, the information had to be gleaned from vast numbers of incident reports. Melanie Trimble, executive director of the group’s Capital Region chapter, has welcomed the forms. She admitted Friday they had doubts as to whether they would be used effectively. Friday’s indictments allay many of those doubts, she said. “We are gratified that the use of force report is proving to be an effective tool in rooting out police misconduct,” Trimble said after being informed of the indictments by a reporter. “We applaud the commissioner’s serious approach.” She also discounted the idea that the forms could have been forgotten. “That is not something that a police officer is likely to forget when force is used,” she said. Attorney Steve Coffey, representing Karaskiewicz, said his client didn’t fill out the form because he didn’t think he had to. The police knew Randolph was violent in the car, Coffey said. Coffey questioned how someone could be charged with a misdemeanor for failing to fill out a form. “If you start indicting police on every occasions when they don’t fill out a form, then you’ll have a lot of cops in this area saying ‘This is what I’ll be charged with?’ ” Coffey said. POLICE CAMERAS Reyell was the only officer charged with failing to turn on his camera. There were at least three police cars involved in the incident. None of the others were accused of not having their video running, including Reyell’s partner Derkowski, and Karaskiewicz, the initial arresting offi cer. Assistant Attorney General Emmanuel Nneji told the court during Reyell’s appearance that the cameras are installed to collect evidence, protect officers and monitor professional delivery of service. Nneji, however, also appeared to misspeak, saying Reyell transported Randolph. The indictment says nothing of that and officials have said earlier other officers actually transported the suspect. The cameras have also been at the center of disputes with the Civilian Police Review Board over access. Many cameras simply weren’t working, officials said in February. Bennett said then that he told every officer that they must immediately report any malfunctions “or face the consequences.” It was unclear if that communication came before or after the Randolph incident. Reyell’s attorney, Cheryl Coleman, called the indictments “sour grapes.” “They’re trying to save face and hope that everyone forgets about the big picture that they came away with egg on their face.” OFFICERS DECORATED Both Karaskiewicz and Reyell are decorated officers, coming on the force in 2001 and 2002, respectively. Reyell was one of two officers awarded a citation for exceptional merit following a May 5, 2005, arrest of a man fleeing with a handgun. Karaskiewicz was one of eight who received department citations for helping many people evacuate the burning Hampshire House apartments on Oct. 15, 2005. They have also received other duty awards. Hafensteiner was given the department’s exceptional duty award with another officer in connection with a Nov. 7, 2004, suicide on the Hulett Street Bridge over Interstate 890. Hafensteiner and the other officer climbed to the top of the fence and grabbed the man by his hands. Six other officers, including Karaskiewicz, received commendation awards in that incident. The rescue attempt, however, failed as the man flailed his legs and fell to his death.
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