MedicCook
01-20-2007, 04:56 PM
Troy moves to fire 3 police officers
Internal investigation into Dougrey murder case complete
Three Troy police officers accused of botching a murder case could lose their jobs.
The bombshell came Friday afternoon from Troy Mayor Harry Tutunjian and Police Chief Nicholas Kaiser.
The decision to fire the three officers stems from an internal investigation related to the murder of Donald Dougrey.
It’s possible some of the officers, especially Sgt. Joseph Centanni, could face a lawsuit and possibly even criminal charges. However, the decision to fire the three officers is the toughest action the mayor and police chief can take.
“The termination of these longtime police officers was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make. It is a decision that was made following a long internal investigation and review. It is a decision that was not made lightly,” Tutunjian said.
During a very unusual court hearing last September, Detective Sgt. Mary Katherine O’Neill testified she could hear murder suspect Jason Jones demanding a lawyer as Centanni questioned him in a room at the police station.
Centanni testified Jones made it conditional. He claimed Jones said, “If you ask me that again, I’m going to call a f*****g lawyer.”
Judge Patrick McGrath didn’t buy Centanni’s claim and tossed out the alleged confession Jones made to the murder.
A week and a half later Jones was found not guilty of the crime.
The sergeants and their supervisor, Capt. Paul Bouchard, have been paid but off their original assignments in the four months since. Now all three face an administrative proceeding where the city will try to convince a hearing officer they deserve to be fired.
The city’s lawyer, Corporation Counsel David Mitchell, won’t explain why they deserve that penalty.
“The employees of the city of Troy have a right to confidentiality and have civil rights as well regardless of the charges that are in front of them. We’re going to protect their rights as well as this process evolves,” Mitchell said.
The decision to fire O’Neill gives the appearance she is being punished for being a whistleblower. The city officials denied that’s what they were doing, but they would not offer any further reason for their action against her.
It should be noted that about eight months passed between the time Jones’ rights were apparently violated during the police interview and the time O’Neill came forward to report that fact.
http://www.wnyt.com/x11690.xml?ag=x156&sb=x183
Internal investigation into Dougrey murder case complete
Three Troy police officers accused of botching a murder case could lose their jobs.
The bombshell came Friday afternoon from Troy Mayor Harry Tutunjian and Police Chief Nicholas Kaiser.
The decision to fire the three officers stems from an internal investigation related to the murder of Donald Dougrey.
It’s possible some of the officers, especially Sgt. Joseph Centanni, could face a lawsuit and possibly even criminal charges. However, the decision to fire the three officers is the toughest action the mayor and police chief can take.
“The termination of these longtime police officers was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make. It is a decision that was made following a long internal investigation and review. It is a decision that was not made lightly,” Tutunjian said.
During a very unusual court hearing last September, Detective Sgt. Mary Katherine O’Neill testified she could hear murder suspect Jason Jones demanding a lawyer as Centanni questioned him in a room at the police station.
Centanni testified Jones made it conditional. He claimed Jones said, “If you ask me that again, I’m going to call a f*****g lawyer.”
Judge Patrick McGrath didn’t buy Centanni’s claim and tossed out the alleged confession Jones made to the murder.
A week and a half later Jones was found not guilty of the crime.
The sergeants and their supervisor, Capt. Paul Bouchard, have been paid but off their original assignments in the four months since. Now all three face an administrative proceeding where the city will try to convince a hearing officer they deserve to be fired.
The city’s lawyer, Corporation Counsel David Mitchell, won’t explain why they deserve that penalty.
“The employees of the city of Troy have a right to confidentiality and have civil rights as well regardless of the charges that are in front of them. We’re going to protect their rights as well as this process evolves,” Mitchell said.
The decision to fire O’Neill gives the appearance she is being punished for being a whistleblower. The city officials denied that’s what they were doing, but they would not offer any further reason for their action against her.
It should be noted that about eight months passed between the time Jones’ rights were apparently violated during the police interview and the time O’Neill came forward to report that fact.
http://www.wnyt.com/x11690.xml?ag=x156&sb=x183