Bloomfield cops caught on dash cam lose bid to dismiss misconduct charges
- 8 years ago
Bloomfield cops caught on dash cam lose bid to dismiss misconduct charges
Two Bloomfield police officers have lost a bid to dismiss their indictment on official misconduct and related charges in connection with a 2012 arrest.
Superior Court Judge Michael L. Ravin announced on Monday that he had issued a written decision, denying the dismissal motion made by Officers Orlando Trinidad and Sean Courter.
The judge also rejected their motion to suppress written statements they made in July 2012.
Attorneys for Trinidad and Courter declined to comment after Monday’s hearing. The officers are due back in court on March 9.
The case against the officers centers on their June 7, 2012, arrest of Marcus Jeter during a motor vehicle stop on the Garden State Parkway.
After prosecutors reviewed a second police dashboard video – which is allegedly inconsistent with statements made by the officers -- resisting arrest and other charges against Jeter were dropped.
Courter and Trinidad were then indicted on charges of official misconduct, conspiracy, tampering with records, and false swearing. Trinidad also is facing an aggravated assault charge.
A third officer involved in Jeter’s arrest, Albert Sutterlin, who retired in May 2013, pleaded guilty in October 2013 to tampering with records and is awaiting sentencing.
Courter and Trinidad have been suspended without pay.
Under a plea deal offered by prosecutors, Trinidad and Courter would have to serve five years in state prison each.
But the officers argued their indictment should be thrown out, claiming the grand jury presentation was unfair, in part because grand jurors were repeatedly told the officers were liars.
At a Nov. 17 hearing, Courter’s attorney, Charles Clark, claimed it was improper for a prosecutor to use the word “lied” when referring to Courter and Trinidad during the presentation, since the issue of whether the officers lied was for the grand jury to decide.
Clark also criticized how an officer, who was not present at the time of Jeter’s arrest, provided the grand jury with narration for the dashboard video in question.
But Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Betty Rodriguez said at that hearing that the officer’s narration was appropriate and claimed “there was no infringement in anything that was said to the grand jury.”
While Trinidad and Courter battle the criminal charges, they also are facing a lawsuit filed by Jeter, who alleges the cops violently dragged him from his car and assaulted him in an act of “racial profiling.” Jeter claims township police conspired to cover up the officers’ misconduct.
Trinidad is facing a second lawsuit accusing him of using excessive force.
In that lawsuit, Rodolfo Crespo alleges Trinidad assaulted him following a 2013 arrest, landing a “brutal punch” that Crespo’s right ear was “practically ripped from his head.”
Both lawsuits have been transferred to federal court.
Two Bloomfield police officers have lost a bid to dismiss their indictment on official misconduct and related charges in connection with a 2012 arrest.
Superior Court Judge Michael L. Ravin announced on Monday that he had issued a written decision, denying the dismissal motion made by Officers Orlando Trinidad and Sean Courter.
The judge also rejected their motion to suppress written statements they made in July 2012.
Attorneys for Trinidad and Courter declined to comment after Monday’s hearing. The officers are due back in court on March 9.
The case against the officers centers on their June 7, 2012, arrest of Marcus Jeter during a motor vehicle stop on the Garden State Parkway.
After prosecutors reviewed a second police dashboard video – which is allegedly inconsistent with statements made by the officers -- resisting arrest and other charges against Jeter were dropped.
Courter and Trinidad were then indicted on charges of official misconduct, conspiracy, tampering with records, and false swearing. Trinidad also is facing an aggravated assault charge.
A third officer involved in Jeter’s arrest, Albert Sutterlin, who retired in May 2013, pleaded guilty in October 2013 to tampering with records and is awaiting sentencing.
Courter and Trinidad have been suspended without pay.
Under a plea deal offered by prosecutors, Trinidad and Courter would have to serve five years in state prison each.
But the officers argued their indictment should be thrown out, claiming the grand jury presentation was unfair, in part because grand jurors were repeatedly told the officers were liars.
At a Nov. 17 hearing, Courter’s attorney, Charles Clark, claimed it was improper for a prosecutor to use the word “lied” when referring to Courter and Trinidad during the presentation, since the issue of whether the officers lied was for the grand jury to decide.
Clark also criticized how an officer, who was not present at the time of Jeter’s arrest, provided the grand jury with narration for the dashboard video in question.
But Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Betty Rodriguez said at that hearing that the officer’s narration was appropriate and claimed “there was no infringement in anything that was said to the grand jury.”
While Trinidad and Courter battle the criminal charges, they also are facing a lawsuit filed by Jeter, who alleges the cops violently dragged him from his car and assaulted him in an act of “racial profiling.” Jeter claims township police conspired to cover up the officers’ misconduct.
Trinidad is facing a second lawsuit accusing him of using excessive force.
In that lawsuit, Rodolfo Crespo alleges Trinidad assaulted him following a 2013 arrest, landing a “brutal punch” that Crespo’s right ear was “practically ripped from his head.”
Both lawsuits have been transferred to federal court.