February 11, 2009 2:08 PM
- Text
NYC Cops Face Walkie-Talkie Sodomy Rap
(CBS/ AP)
Prosecutors are investigating allegations that five New York City police officers attacked a tattoo parlor worker and sodomized him with a walkie-talkie in a subway station.
The 24-year-old man says the officers then wrote him a disorderly conduct ticket and abandoned him as he was writhing in pain.
The police department disputes the allegations and strongly denies the man was sodomized.
"Police officers grappled with an individual who they observed smoking marijuana after he had fled and resisted being handcuffed. His assertion that he was sodomized is not supported by independent civilian witnesses on the scene," NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said in a statement.
The case is being investigated by the police department and the Brooklyn District Attorney's office.
The accusations brought back memories of the 1997 assault of Abner Louima, who was beaten and sodomized with a broomstick in a police precinct by officers in one of the most notorious cases of police brutality in NYPD history.
In the latest case, lawyers for the accuser came forward Thursday afternoon with the startling allegations, and a hospital confirmed that he was admitted on the day of the alleged attack and spent four days there.
The man was back in the hospital on Thursday, complaining he was urinating blood and suffering lingering pain, the Daily News reported.
Lawyers say five police officers approached Michael Mineo on Oct. 15 around 12:30 p.m. because they believed he was smoking marijuana near a subway stop in Brooklyn.
When the tattoo parlor employee entered the station, he claims officers jumped him from behind, handcuffed him and wrestled him to the ground, according to attorney Stephen Jackson.
Mineo told his lawyers that he felt a foot on his neck as the officers beat him, then yanked down his pants and sodomized him with the walkie-talkie. The lawyers say the officers took the bleeding Mineo into a police car, wrote him a disorderly conduct ticket and left him at the subway station.
"My God, this just sent chills throughout my body when I heard this," Jackson said. "This is one of the most horrendous acts of police brutality."
Two witnesses reported seeing Mineo struggle during the arrest, a police source told the newspaper, but they did not witness any acts of sodomy. However, the police source said one of the witnesses saw Mineo's bare buttocks.
The source told the Daily News a witness reported hearing Mineo yell, "Why are you trying to Taser me?" and, "Why did you stick a walkie-talkie up my a--?" None of the officers had Tasers, the newspaper reported.
One of Mineo's co-workers took him to the hospital, where he remained most of the week with internal injuries. His attorney says the hospital administrator contacted the Brooklyn District Attorney's office because it appeared Mineo was the victim of a sexual assault.
Jackson said medical records corroborate Mineo's story, but would not immediately provide copies of them. Mineo was not available to speak. Brookdale Hospital officials confirmed that he was admitted on Oct. 15 and discharged four days later.
Jackson said he and Mineo didn't go public with the allegations right away because they wanted to give prosecutors time to investigate.
The Brooklyn District Attorney's office says it doesn't comment on any open investigations. Mineo was previously arrested in June on a charge of gang assault and criminal possession of a weapon.
The 24-year-old man says the officers then wrote him a disorderly conduct ticket and abandoned him as he was writhing in pain.
The police department disputes the allegations and strongly denies the man was sodomized.
"Police officers grappled with an individual who they observed smoking marijuana after he had fled and resisted being handcuffed. His assertion that he was sodomized is not supported by independent civilian witnesses on the scene," NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said in a statement.
The case is being investigated by the police department and the Brooklyn District Attorney's office.
The accusations brought back memories of the 1997 assault of Abner Louima, who was beaten and sodomized with a broomstick in a police precinct by officers in one of the most notorious cases of police brutality in NYPD history.
In the latest case, lawyers for the accuser came forward Thursday afternoon with the startling allegations, and a hospital confirmed that he was admitted on the day of the alleged attack and spent four days there.
The man was back in the hospital on Thursday, complaining he was urinating blood and suffering lingering pain, the Daily News reported.
Lawyers say five police officers approached Michael Mineo on Oct. 15 around 12:30 p.m. because they believed he was smoking marijuana near a subway stop in Brooklyn.
When the tattoo parlor employee entered the station, he claims officers jumped him from behind, handcuffed him and wrestled him to the ground, according to attorney Stephen Jackson.
Mineo told his lawyers that he felt a foot on his neck as the officers beat him, then yanked down his pants and sodomized him with the walkie-talkie. The lawyers say the officers took the bleeding Mineo into a police car, wrote him a disorderly conduct ticket and left him at the subway station.
"My God, this just sent chills throughout my body when I heard this," Jackson said. "This is one of the most horrendous acts of police brutality."
Two witnesses reported seeing Mineo struggle during the arrest, a police source told the newspaper, but they did not witness any acts of sodomy. However, the police source said one of the witnesses saw Mineo's bare buttocks.
The source told the Daily News a witness reported hearing Mineo yell, "Why are you trying to Taser me?" and, "Why did you stick a walkie-talkie up my a--?" None of the officers had Tasers, the newspaper reported.
One of Mineo's co-workers took him to the hospital, where he remained most of the week with internal injuries. His attorney says the hospital administrator contacted the Brooklyn District Attorney's office because it appeared Mineo was the victim of a sexual assault.
Jackson said medical records corroborate Mineo's story, but would not immediately provide copies of them. Mineo was not available to speak. Brookdale Hospital officials confirmed that he was admitted on Oct. 15 and discharged four days later.
Jackson said he and Mineo didn't go public with the allegations right away because they wanted to give prosecutors time to investigate.
The Brooklyn District Attorney's office says it doesn't comment on any open investigations. Mineo was previously arrested in June on a charge of gang assault and criminal possession of a weapon.
Latest Now in National
- Coroner in Ohio changes ruling in 1972 death
- APNewsBreak: Satellite spots tanks in Syrian city
- APNewsBreak: Satellite spots tanks in Syrian city
- Ill. Sen. Mark Kirk moved to stroke rehab center
- Comedian's BYU black history video goes viral
- Explosion at Fla. horse center kills worker, horse
- Explosion at Fla. horse center kills worker, horse
- Fight breaks out at a funeral in Phoenix
- Mom who threw tot in NY river can go home to India
- Schoolgirls excluded from Dallas movie screening
- Woman pleads guilty in NY newborn kidnap case
- Developer may open rival Philadelphia newspaper
- Developer may open rival Philadelphia newspaper
- Dad of NYC subway bomb plotter gets 4 ½ years
- Dispatcher on Powell call: Case a 'nightmare'
- Explosion at Fla. horse center kills worker, horse
- Serial killer's tip leads to remains of 2nd body
Latest CBS News Headlines
on Facebook
on CBS News
- Heels so high, sometimes the models fall down
- La Scala dancers deny anorexia emergency
- Heels so high, sometimes the models fall down
- La Scala dancers deny anorexia emergency
on Facebook
- Adele sings a cappella for Anderson Cooper
- Josh Powell had "incestuous" images on his home computer, authorities say
- Adele sings a cappella for Anderson Cooper
on CBS News
