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Associated Press
NEW YORK, August 20 - The police officer charged with killing three members of a Brooklyn family while driving drunk called a news conference Monday to apologize to the victims’ families and to publicly declare he is “not the monster” portrayed in the media.
Officer Joseph Gray, who faces nine departmental charges, including manslaughter and vehicular manslaughter, said, “I’m not the mindless drunk being portrayed on television.” Because of the ongoing investigation, the media was not allowed to ask Gray what happened that day and whether he has a drinking problem. The officer said the idea to call the news conference was his.
He expressed his regret to the victims’ families; he had previously apologized through his lawyer. He also said, “I just want people to know that I’m not the monster that people think I am.”
Gray has been suspended without pay for 30 days, and is awaiting a departmental trial.
He was indicted earlier this month in Brooklyn Supreme Court on manslaughter and other charges in the deaths of 24-year-old Maria Herrera, her 4-year-old son Andy, and 16-year-old sister Dilcia Pena on Aug. 4. Herrera was eight months pregnant at the time and her son was delivered, but was declared stillborn.
The news conference was disrupted toward the end by one heckler, David Galarza, a Sunset Park community activist who described himself as a friend of the Herrera and Pena families.
“I came here out of justice. He should be in jail,” he shouted. “You’re not a police officer, you’re a murderer,” he said and carried a sign that read: “Jail, No Bail for Drunk Killer Cop.”
Gray had allegedly been drinking for up to 12 hours prior to the accident. An NYPD investigation revealed that he and other officers drank beer in an NYPD parking lot, and then moved on to a strip club declared off-limits to cops from the 72nd Precinct.
NEW YORK, August 20 - The police officer charged with killing three members of a Brooklyn family while driving drunk called a news conference Monday to apologize to the victims’ families and to publicly declare he is “not the monster” portrayed in the media.
Officer Joseph Gray, who faces nine departmental charges, including manslaughter and vehicular manslaughter, said, “I’m not the mindless drunk being portrayed on television.” Because of the ongoing investigation, the media was not allowed to ask Gray what happened that day and whether he has a drinking problem. The officer said the idea to call the news conference was his.
He expressed his regret to the victims’ families; he had previously apologized through his lawyer. He also said, “I just want people to know that I’m not the monster that people think I am.”
Gray has been suspended without pay for 30 days, and is awaiting a departmental trial.
He was indicted earlier this month in Brooklyn Supreme Court on manslaughter and other charges in the deaths of 24-year-old Maria Herrera, her 4-year-old son Andy, and 16-year-old sister Dilcia Pena on Aug. 4. Herrera was eight months pregnant at the time and her son was delivered, but was declared stillborn.
The news conference was disrupted toward the end by one heckler, David Galarza, a Sunset Park community activist who described himself as a friend of the Herrera and Pena families.
“I came here out of justice. He should be in jail,” he shouted. “You’re not a police officer, you’re a murderer,” he said and carried a sign that read: “Jail, No Bail for Drunk Killer Cop.”
Gray had allegedly been drinking for up to 12 hours prior to the accident. An NYPD investigation revealed that he and other officers drank beer in an NYPD parking lot, and then moved on to a strip club declared off-limits to cops from the 72nd Precinct.
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