Photo Courtesy of Twitter/ Melinda Katz
On November 8, the District Attorney of Queens County, New York Melinda Katz threw out 60 convictions based on police work of three former detectives. The disgraced cops were found guilty of various crimes.
DA Katz said, “Earlier this year, my office was informed of a list of NYPD officers who were convicted of crimes which related to serious misconduct in regard to their law enforcement duties. Upon receipt of this information, I made a commitment to review the Queens cases in which the officers were the essential witnesses and take appropriate action. The step we’ve taken today is the first in an ongoing and systematic review.”
Former NYPD Detective Kevin Desormeau was convicted on charges of perjury in the first-degree official misconduct and making a punishable false written statement after he lied about witnessing a drug sale that body cam evidence didn’t show happened. Thirty-four cases should be dismissed after Desormeau’s evidence was thrown out.
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Former NYPD Detective Sasha Cordoba pled guilty to Perjury in the First Degree and Official Misconduct after she falsified the facts of a gun possession arrest. Twenty cases should be dismissed based on Cordoba’s role in their investigation.
Former NYPD Detective Oscar Sandino pled guilty to federal charges connected with sexual assault and other sexual misconduct he committed while on the job. Six cases should be dismissed based on Sandino’s wittiness role.
DA Katz said, “We cannot stand behind a criminal conviction where the essential law enforcement witness has been convicted of crimes which irreparably impair their credibility. Vacating and dismissing these cases is both constitutionally required and necessary to ensure public confidence in our justice system.”
CIU Director Bryce Benjet said, “The vacatur and dismissal of these cases does not constitute a finding of actual innocence and is based instead on a finding of constitutional error and the fact that we cannot re-prosecute these cases where the essential law-enforcement witness has forever lost professional credibility. That said, we will certainly investigate any claims of actual innocence made by any of these defendants.”