Viral Video Of The Day

Via Business Insider:

A YouTube video shared after Sunday's parade shows a parade marcher getting his groove on with what appears to be a member of the New York Police Department. We've reached out to the NYPD for comment but haven't heard back yet. The 12-second clip stars the unlikely duo dancing to along to Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough." The cop's dance partner was a man named Aaron, who was marching with the Big Apple Softball League during the parade, explains the user who posted the video, Paige Ponzeka. The moment doesn't last long before Aaron has to hurry back to the parade. Before he goes, Aaron affixes one of the league's "I'd Hit That" stickers to the officer's uniform and gives him a quick kiss on the cheek.

1.8M views at this writing. Breitbarters are ever so outraged.

(Tipped by JMG reader Ray)

Case Against Killer Of Gay Man Imperiled By Lack of NYPD Miranda Warnings

It was two years ago next week that thousands of LGBT New Yorkers poured into the streets to protest the senseless murder of Mark Carson, 32, [photo], who was shot point-blank in the head after he said "yes" when asked if he was gay. The suspected killer, Elliot Morales, then 33, was apprehended immediately and reportedly laughed and boasted about the murder to the arresting officers. In August 2014 the New York County District Attorney's office declared that they would not be offering a plea deal to Morales, who faces life imprisonment without parole.

Today we learn that Morales' confession might be thrown out. Duncan Osborne reports at Gay City News:

A number of statements made to police and a prosecutor by the accused killer of Mark Carson may be thrown out because police failed to give Elliot Morales his Miranda warnings and the assistant district attorney who took Morales’ videotaped statement ignored both his request to remain silent and his refusal to answer questions. “You’re obviously aware that there are some problems with the question and answer session,” Judge Charles H. Solomon told Shannon Lucey, the assistant district attorney who is prosecuting the case, during a May 11 hearing on the admissibility of evidence in the case. Once Morales was in police custody, law enforcement was required to inform Morales of his right to remain silent, his right to an attorney, and other Miranda rights if they wanted to use any statements he made at a later trial. His attorney, Gary Sunden, said police began questioning Morales soon after he was in handcuffs. “There were questions put to Mr. Morales, on the ground, face down,” Sunden said during the hearing. “At the time of all of these alleged statements, no Miranda warnings had been given to Mr. Morales.”

Osborne notes that the case against Morales remains strong due to his possession of the murder weapon and the statements of eyewitnesses. Hit the link for much more.

New York City Council Speaker Seeks To Decriminalize Some Petty Offenses

The New York City Council is contemplating decriminalizing the six petty offenses listed above in a poll by the Wall Street Journal.

New York City Council’s speaker and lawmakers are discussing amending the city’s code to make six low-level offenses civil violations, rather than criminal offenses. However, the plan to decriminalize these low-level violations has sparked intense debate among state and city officials about how these so-called quality-of-life offenses should be treated by police and the courts. The city has long had a “broken windows” philosophy of policing, in which low-level crimes are aggressively pursued in hopes of deterring more serious ones. The offenses under consideration for decriminalization include public consumption of alcohol, bicycling on the sidewalk, being in a park after dark, failure to obey a park sign, littering (the offense used for public urination) and turnstile jumping.

NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton is strongly opposed:

Bratton released a 41-page report that finds arrests for numerous types of misdemeanors fell in the first quarter of 2015 compared with the same period a year earlier. Meanwhile, the NYPD has seen an increase in the number of desk appearance tickets it gives for misdemeanor arrests versus making defendants go before a judge for an arraignment. That number was 41 percent last year, the highest over the 14-year period dating to 2000. The report suggests that quality-of-life policing and misdemeanor arrests "forestall felony crime." Enforcement actions of all kinds have been declining in New York City in what Bratton has called the "peace dividend." "None of this means we can't explore alternatives to misdemeanor arrests," he said. "We can and we are doing so. We can be more considered and more considerate. We can be more respectful and more respected, and we will be." Bratton said the city was a "mess" in the 1970s and 80s when quality-of-life crimes were neglected. What brought the city back, and what Bratton said he is doubling down on now, is so-called broken windows policing.

Yesterday the speaker of the City Council claimed that her plan is backed by Hillary Clinton:

Hillary Clinton's criminal justice speech Wednesday provided fodder for the debate over decriminalizing minor offenses in New York, with City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito claiming to have Clinton in her corner while Mayor de Blasio insisted he would keep up enforcement against quality-of-life offenses. Mark-Viverito quickly embraced Clinton's call for "alternative punishments for low-level offenders" and suggested it places the leading presidential contender on the side of her push to decriminalize violations like public drinking and turnstile jumping. "Secretary Clinton today laid out the type of progressive vision on criminal justice reforms the City Council is fighting for in New York City," she said in a statement. "From finding alternative punishments for low-level offenses which will help keep people out of jails like Rikers Island, to adding more officers to the street in order to strengthen police-community relations and foster more trust, Secretary Clinton today articulated a bold vision."

NYPD Caught Making Dozens Of Edits To Wikipedia's Police Brutality Entries

Capital New York has the scoop:

Computers operating on the New York Police Department’s computer network at its 1 Police Plaza headquarters have been used to alter Wikipedia pages containing details of alleged police brutality, a review by Capital has revealed. “The matter is under internal review,” an NYPD spokeswoman, Det. Cheryl Crispin, wrote in an email to Capital after examples of the changes were presented to the NYPD.

The edits and changes were linked to the NYPD through a series of Internet Protocol addresses, or IP addresses, which can be publicly tracked by various websites. (Here, for example, is one website that shows a number of IP addresses registered to the NYPD.) IP addresses can locate where a computer is when it connects to the Internet.

Computer users identified by Capital as working on the NYPD headquarters' network have edited and attempted to delete Wikipedia entries for several well-known victims of police altercations, including entries for Eric Garner, Sean Bell, and Amadou Diallo. Capital identified 85 NYPD addresses that have edited Wikipedia, although it is unclear how many users were involved, as computers on the NYPD network can operate on the department’s range of IP addresses.

Hit the link for examples of the changes.

Headline Of The Day

From the New York Post:

He’s really sinking his teeth into single life. Just months out of jail, “Cannibal Cop” Gilberto Valle is seeking a gal who suits his taste — in an online dating profile that lists “cooking” as a favorite hobby. The Match.com profile proclaims that Valle — who was found guilty of plotting to cook and eat his now-ex-wife, a conviction which a judge later tossed — is seeking a “non-judgmental” woman who’s “a little kinky ;).” Under the handle “AmicableOne14,” the 30-year-old, disgraced former NYPD officer notes he’s a big foodie looking for a woman age 24 to 32 who likes cooking, dining out and wine tasting. Valle, who was released from jail in July, is under a “supervised release” schedule in which he must make curfew. Valle was freed on $100,000 bond after a surprise ruling that tossed his conviction for scheming to kidnap, kill, cook and eat his then-wife and other women — because a judge claimed it was all fantasy. Valle admitted to engaging in depraved online interactions but claimed he never ­in­tend­ed to carry out the grisly plots.

Obama Reacts To Garner Decision

De Blasio Urges Calm As Protests Over Garner Decision Are Planned Citywide

From his press release:

“Today’s outcome is one that many in our city did not want. Yet New York City owns a proud and powerful tradition of expressing ourselves through non-violent protest. We trust that those unhappy with today’s grand jury decision will make their views known in the same peaceful, constructive way. We all agree that demonstrations and free speech are valuable contributions to debate, and that violence and disorder are not only wrong – but hurt the critically important goals we are trying to achieve together. The grand jury is but one part of the process. There will still be an NYPD internal investigation. And we know the US Attorney is continuing her investigation. Should the federal government choose to act, we stand ready to cooperate."

Protests will take place tonight in Times Square, Union Square, and other areas with more planned for tomorrow. De Blasio has elected to skip tonight's tree lighting ceremony at Rockefeller Center where the police presence has been "significantly strengthened."

UPDATE: A die-in is underway at Grand Central.

STATEN ISLAND: No Charges For NYPD Officer Who Choked Black Man To Death

Eric Garner's crime was selling loosies. Using chokeholds to bring down a suspect is against NYPD policy.

NYPD To Ease Pot Arrests

Fairly major marijuana news for New York City:

In a historic change, city cops on Nov. 19 will stop arresting people on low-level marijuana charges and issue them tickets instead, Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said on Monday. People caught smoking on the street would still wind up in the pokey, however, but someone caught with less than 25 grams of marijuana would be slapped with a noncriminal violation. “As for those who want to avoid summonses, don’t do it; it’s that simple,” Bratton said at a press conference at NYPD headquarters, holding up a baggie of oregano as a visual aid. “It’s still against the law. I’m not giving out get-out-of-jail-for-free cards.” If found guilty, a first-time violator would face a fine of $100; for a second offense, a fine of $250 could apply, a high-ranking police source told the Daily News. Mayor de Blasio, who made curtailing the NYPD’s use of the stop-and-frisk tactic a central campaign pledge, said the new policy would be more fair. “Too many New Yorkers without any prior convictions have been arrested for low-level marijuana possession,” he said. “Blacks and Latino communities have been disproportionately affected.” A marijuana arrest, if it leads to a conviction, means one has a police record, and that “hurts their chances to get a good job, it hurts their chances to get housing, it hurts their chances to qualify to get a student loan,” de Blasio said. “It can literally follow them the rest of their lives.

NYPD To Get Mobile Fingerprint Scanners

Claiming that the device will reduce the numbers that are held pending investigations, the NYPD is spending $160M on mobile devices that will allow officers to scan a suspect's fingerprints in order to check for outstanding warrants.

“You can literally, with this technology, take a fingerprint on a street corner in New York City,” Mayor de Blasio said. “This is going to speed the work of law enforcement. It’s also going to allow us to not have to bring as many people into the station house.” “It’s going to allow us to do more summonses and fewer arrests where appropriate. It’s going to simplify and make more efficient the work that people in law enforcement do,” he added. NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton said the mobile fingerprinting technology “will take some time” to roll out, but Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance said that “by this spring, we anticipate the integration of fingerprint scanning, as well as enhanced data collection in the field.” Officials said the technology would come courtesy of 35,000 handheld devices and another 6,000 Panasonic “Toughpad” tablet computers that the city is buying for the NYPD.

It's not clear whether the fingerprints of those cleared of wrongdoing will be retained by the NYPD.

NEW YORK CITY: Prosecutors Say "No Plea Deal" For Murderer Of Gay Man

In May 2013, Elliot Morales (left) chased Mark Carson, 32, out of a West Village restaurant and shot him point-blank in the head after calling him a "faggot." Last week New York City prosecutors declared that they will never agree to a lesser sentence in return for a guilty plea.

“I can assure you there is not now or will there ever be an offer made to this gentleman regarding this case,” Assistant District Attorney Joan Iluzzi-Orbon said Wednesday at a Manhattan Supreme Court hearing for Elliot Morales, 33. Morales — who’s charged with murder as a hate crime for allegedly shouting “Look at these faggots” before shooting dead Mark Carson, 32, in Greenwich Village — has had two court appointed attorneys since his May 2013 arrest. But the alleged hatemonger claims they were all unable to do their job and even filed complaints against three defense attorneys involved in the case. Justice Charles Solomon appointed new lawyer Glenn Hardy Wednesday.

Elliot Morales faces a potential sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

PREVIOUSLY ON JMG: At the time of his arrest, Morales reportedly laughed and boasted to the NYPD about shooting Carson. Despite that confession, he later pleaded not guilty and laid the groundwork for an insanity defense by claiming the he had been sexually molested as a child. In addition to the Taurus .38 revolver used to kill Carson, a search of Morales' home found what police described as a "Serbian-made Zastava assault weapon." Two days after the murder, thousands of New Yorkers poured into the streets for a massive vigil march in Carson's memory. Even hate group leaders such as Tony Perkins and Brian Brown denounced Carson's murder, although Breitbart and Matt Barber predictably claimed the murder was being "politicized" in order to promote gay rights. The shooting of Mark Carson came amidst a terrifying spree of violent anti-gay hate crimes across New York City, prompting then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg and NYPD Chief Ray Kelly to hold a joint press conference regarding stepped-up police patrols in gay neighborhoods such as the West Village.

Taiwanese Animators On Alec Baldwin

Whoa.

MANHATTAN: Alec Baldwin Arrested For Biking Wrong Way On Fifth Avenue

CNN has the story:

Actor Alec Baldwin was arrested Tuesday and issued two summonses -- one for disorderly conduct -- after riding a bicycle the wrong way on a New York street, police said. The "30 Rock" star allegedly became angry and started yelling at police after they asked him for identification to give him a summons, police said. The other summons was for riding a bike against the flow of traffic. Baldwin is to appear in court July 24. "Police stated that he got belligerent and started arguing with them and using profanity," Deputy Chief Kim Y. Royster said. Baldwin was not carrying identification and police took him into custody, police said. The actor reportedly became angry at the officers, yelling "Give me the summons already," a law enforcement official said.

Once at the police station, Baldwin reportedly pulled the "Don't you know who I am?" bit. He was released shortly afterwards.

VIDEO: BASE Jumpers Leap From 1WTC

Four BASE jumpers turned themselves in to the NYPD yesterday after having parachuted from the top of 1WTC in September. This is the second report of major 1WTC security lapses this week and the tabloids are, correctly this time, going nuts.

Police told the Daily News that former WTC ironworker James Brady, 32, Andrew Rossig, 33, Marco Markovich, 27, and lookout Kyle Hartwell, 29, were charged with burglary, reckless endangerment and jumping from a structure before being released on $3,500 bail. Rossig told the Daily News that the skydivers accessed Ground Zero by slipping through a hole in the fence and then "just kind of walked in." The New Jersey teen similarly made his way into the tower without encountering much security. If the helmet camera footage Brady filmed pulls in any money, Rossig's attorney told the newspaper, the skydivers plan to donate the proceeds to a charity for families of 9/11 victims.

(Tipped by JMG reader Dwight)

NEW YORK CITY: 16 Year-Old Thwarts Security, Reaches Top Of 1 WTC Tower

So much for that "ring of steel" security perimeter around 1 World Trade Center. Via the New York Post:

A New Jersey teen captivated by 1 World Trade Center sneaked out of his home in the dead of night, got past the wall of security — and a sleeping guard — making it all the way up to the spire, The Post has learned. Scrawny 16-year-old Justin Casquejo crawled through a hole in a Ground Zero fence at about 4 a.m. Sunday and got a lift up the tower from a clueless union elevator operator, even though he had no ID. He was dropped off on the 88th floor and hiked the stairs up to the 104th floor — where a guard assigned to protect the top of the world’s biggest terror target was sound asleep. That guard has since been fired. Casquejo told cops he then climbed up to the roof and made it up to the antenna. After spending two glorious hours atop the nation’s tallest building snapping photos, the young daredevil was finally caught by a construction worker as he made his way back down.

Casquejo, whose Facebook page is laden with photos of 1 WTC, has been charged with misdemeanor trespassing. The Port Authority, the NYPD, and two private security companies guard the building at all times. All have refused to comment. (Tipped by JMG reader Dwight)

NEW YORK CITY: Buildings Collapse In Harlem After Massive Explosion

A massive explosion has resulted in the collapse of at least two apartment buildings on the east side of Harlem this morning. Dozens of NYFD units are on the scene. All Metro-North service is suspended due to possible damage to the elevated tracks and a nearby station. MTA service on the 4-5-6 subway lines is moving very slowly due to fears of further building collapses from train vibrations. Local television reports that there have been multiple serious injuries. The NYPD bomb squad is on the scene. Story developing...

UPDATE: CNN reports that prior to the explosion ConEdison had been called to the scene to investigate a report of a gas leak.

UPDATE II: A least one death has now been reported. Local TV says that over 20 people have been transported by ambulance. One of the destroyed buildings was five stories tall and likely had about 30 units. A housing activist just interviewed by CNN says gentrification may be to blame as landlords are slow to do critical repairs because they want longtime tenants out of their buildings.

9/11 Scandal Roils NYPD And FDNY

More than one hundred former New York City police officers and firefighters have been indicted for falsely claiming to have been disabled in the aftermath of 9/11.

Though the former New York City police officers and firefighters were supposed to be fully disabled -- some suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after the 9/11 terrorist attacks -- images in court documents released Tuesday painted a starkly different picture. One man smiled behind shades and flipped the bird aboard a Sea-Doo personal watercraft. Another sat at the controls of a helicopter. A mixed martial arts instructor posed with arms crossed. They're seen riding motorcycles, hauling in massive sailfish, slugging softballs for the "NYPD Blues," taking jump shots, running half marathons and golfing, and even giving television news interviews while selling cannoli at Manhattan's famed San Genaro festival. They are among the more than 100 retired New York City police and firefighters indicted in a massive Social Security disability scam involving hundreds of millions of dollars, authorities said. More than half the recipients received funds for fraudulent claims for PTSD in the wake of the September 11, 2001, terror attacks on the World Trade Center.

The main defendants include a police union official and a disability specialist who stand accused of coaching hundreds of applicants on how to fill out disability forms and how to behave during during doctor visits.

NEW YORK CITY: Subway Breakdancers Charged With Reckless Endangerment

DNAinfo reports:

Two men were arrested for dancing on a crowded subway car at the West 4th Street station last week, NYPD said. Police spotted 20-year-old Shamik Watson and 18-year-old Andrew Washington dancing and somersaulting on a packed A train at about 12:30 p.m. on Dec. 27, police said. The pair caused a hazard to themselves and others around them, and made excessive noise by blaring music from a stereo, police said. Watson and Washington were charged with reckless endangerment as a misdemeanor

The commenters at Gothamist are cheering. Mostly.

NEW YORK CITY: De Blasio Names Guiliani-Era Bill Bratton As NYPD Chief

New York City Mayor-Elect Bill De Blasio has named Bill Bratton as NYPD Commissioner. Bratton served under Rudy Giuliani for three years in the mid-90s and most recently spent seven years as the police chief for Los Angeles. This is a controversial selection for De Blasio, who campaigned heavily against the stop-and-frisk practices of the NYPD under outgoing chief Ray Kelly.

Via NBC New York:

While Bratton led the LAPD, the department's use of stop and frisk dramatically increased, according to the Daily News. In 2002, cops made 587,200 stops, and by 2008, they made 875,204 stops, an increase of 49 percent, the News said, citing a 2009 report from the Harvard Kennedy School. The majority of those stopped were black or Hispanic, the News said, but the number of stops that led to arrests was far higher than in New York. The NYCLU, which has been highly critical of the NYPD's use of stop and frisk, said in a statement that it looks forward to working with de Blasio and Bratton "to ensure that fundamental changes are made to the NYPD, including a top-to-bottom culture shift that ends racial profiling and the abuse of stop and frisk."

More from the New York Times:

The selection of Mr. Bratton, a well-known and generally well-regarded figure in law enforcement, appeared to reflect the tricky spot Mr. de Blasio finds himself in as he moves to reshape the Police Department’s street tactics, while sustaining the decline in serious crime. New York is much changed since Mr. Bratton first took the reins in 1994. Crime rates were much higher and the issue dominated mayoral politics. With his hard-charging, press-friendly style, Mr. Bratton managed to garner considerable acclaim for the drop in crime on his watch, even as crime was falling in many other big cities as well. Now, Mr. Bratton returns to a city where crime has continued to fall and where there is less acceptance of some of the most aggressive and confrontational policing tactics. He and Mr. de Blasio will most likely be judged on whether the city can continue to be kept safe from crime and terrorism while quieting criticism over the excesses of policing, especially in minority communities.

De Blasio is holding a press conference at this writing to formally announce the appointment.

NYPD Vs Skateboarders

Last night Reddit discovered a video about this.

Police attempted to defuse the annual skateboard marathon—known as Broadway Bomb—on Saturday, preventing the over 1,500 skateboarders from riding in the streets. The skaters’ plan was to ride down Manhattan’s West Side, from Broadway and 116th Street down to the Charging Bull statue in the Financial District. But like early birds catching the worm, the police arrived beforehand. They set up an orange barricade on West 105th Street, while a helicopter and squads of men in blue patrolled the area. The skateboarders were frustrated, but carried on by attempting to redirect the route down Amsterdam Avenue.

The clip jumped to 450K views overnight.

(Tipped by JMG reader Ray)