Another Racist Cops Gets Off Easy; Does this suprise anyone?
Under a last-minute agreement that gave prosecutors and defense lawyers the ability to avoid the uncertainties of a fourth trial of Mr. Schwarz, which had been scheduled to begin tomorrow, the government dropped an additional charge of perjury and two charges of violating Mr. Louima's civil rights. Prosecutors also said they would ask prison officials to recommend a reduction of the sentence to just under four years if Mr. Schwarz abides by the terms of the agreement.
One central condition of the deal essentially prohibits Mr. Schwarz from stating publicly that he is innocent of the civil rights violations, that he held Mr. Louima down while another officer, Justin A. Volpe, sodomized Mr. Louima with a broken broomstick.
In a half-empty courtroom just before 9 p.m., Judge Reena Raggi ended one of the longest and most wrenching legal battles in the city's recent history by formally sentencing Mr. Schwarz to five years.
This despite the fact that judicial rulings days before the trial was suppose to begin made Schwarz's laughable defense almost impossible to prevail.
Does it even make sense to mention that his ass was saved when a single biased juror forced a mistrial on the most serious charges at his last trial?
Posted by ronn at September 22, 2002 02:11 AM