A Tale of Two Cities

A Tale of Two Cities

Another Deadly Week as Cops Battle Protestors

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, DECEMBER 19- The homicide death toll across the borough continues to rise as police officers from across the city are called into Manhattan to manage and control the NYPD protesters who have caused a month-long traffic nightmare during the busy holiday season.

Detectives from the 52nd Precinct were notified after an elderly patient at a local nursing home suffered a laceration to his back and later died at Montefiore Hospital.

Officials say Frank Mercado, 77, a resident of the University Nursing Home on Grand Avenue, died at the hands of a caregiver on December 8. The medical examiner later ruled the death a homicide and police would charge caregiver Cherrylee Young, 41, with criminally negligent homicide and felony assault.

A 17-year-old teen is said to be fighting for his life after being shot three times, including once in the neck.

According to NYPD spokesman detective Michael DeBonis, the

unidentified victim was shot at 7:20 p.m., on December 12, at the corner of Valentine Avenue and Miriam Street in the Bedford Park section.

According to DeBonis, "A 17 year-old male was shot in the neck, stomach and arm and was taken to St. Barnabas Hospital.”

DeBonis said of the still-unidentified victim, "He was in serious

condition, but I have not been told he has died.”

Officials believe he was involved in a dispute with another male  at the time of the shooting. The gunman then fled the scene.

Detectives from the 52nd Precinct who responded to the scene, were reportedly looking for a light-skinned male Hispanic, wearing a black jacket and blue jeans. The individual was wearing a ski mask over his face as he fled toward Webster Avenue.

Police are also investigating the shooting death of a male victim,

shot to death on December 14 on East Burnside Avenue.

Cops say the still-unidentified victim was shot one time in the chest and was discovered in the street by police officers from the 44th Precinct at 4:45 a.m., he died a short time later at St. Barnabas Hospital.

Police have no suspects or motive at this time.

A little more that an hour later police from the 45th Precinct in Throggs Neck were called to a home at 6 a.m., after a father discovered his two month-old daughter unconscious and unresponsive.

Investigators say Diana Rivera was rushed to Jacobi Hospital where she died. The child reportedly had bruises on her backside and an arm.

Detectives continue to investigate as they wait for the report from the medical examiners office.

Mott Haven News: $12G Reward Offered to Catch Cops’ Attackers

Mott Haven News: $12G Reward Offered to Catch Cops’ Attackers: $12G Reward Offered to Catch Cops’ Attackers BRONX, NEW YORK, DECEMBER 17- On Saturday, December 13, 2014 at approximately 7:30 p.m....

$12G Reward Offered to Catch Cops’ Attackers

$12G Reward Offered to Catch Cops’ Attackers

BRONX, NEW YORK, DECEMBER 17- On Saturday, December 13, 2014 at approximately 7:30 p.m., two New York City Police Department lieutenants were walking along the pedestrian walkway of the Brooklyn Bridge, monitoring a large crowd of demonstrators crossing into Brooklyn on the vehicular roadway below. While following the crowd, the two lieutenants, both of whom were wearing NYPD jackets, observed a male suspect attempt to throw a large garbage can down onto the roadway below, where other demonstrators and police officers were walking. The lieutenants stopped the man from throwing the garbage can and attempted to take the individual into custody, at which time the suspect violently resisted and other demonstrators intervened, pulling the suspect away from police. During the struggle, the demonstrators punched and kicked the lieutenants while attempting to remove the officers' police department radios and NYPD jackets.

As a result of the actions by those who helped prevent the lawful arrest, the suspect was able to escape but was captured a short time later. Before he ran away, however, officers were able to retain the suspect’s backpack, found to contain a black ski mask, three hammers wrapped in plastic, personal papers, and a small quantity of marijuana. Both lieutenants were transported to Lower Manhattan Hospital in stable condition: one sustained a broken nose, and both sustained multiple cuts and bruises. Both were treated and released.

Pursuant to the ongoing investigation, the NYPD is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying and locating seven suspects wanted in connection with the incident, and nine witnesses who may be able to provide information valuable to the inquest.

A $12,000 combined reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspects in this case: Crime Stoppers has offered $2,000, and Citizens Outraged at Police Being Shot has offered $10,000.

Anyone with information regarding these suspects, these witnesses, or this incident in general, is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or 1-800-COP-SHOT. The public can also submit tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

All calls are strictly confidential.

Mott Haven News: Bad Shot Gets 25 yrs for Killing Mom

Mott Haven News: Bad Shot Gets 25 yrs for Killing Mom: Bad Shot Gets 25 yrs for Killing Mom Son Pens Letter of Pain BRONX, NEW YORK, DECEMBER 11- It was a misplaced sense of loyalty tha...

Bad Shot Gets 25 yrs for Killing Mom

Bad Shot Gets 25 yrs for Killing Mom

Son Pens Letter of Pain

BRONX, NEW YORK, DECEMBER 11- It was a misplaced sense of loyalty that killed an innocent bystander and has now landed 30-year-old Joseph Diaz behind bars for 25 years, following his conviction on manslaughter in the first degree, Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson announced.

Diaz’ aim was to prove his loyalty to a friend who had lost a fistfight, when he aimed a gun at the man with whom the friend had the dispute. But the shooter, who even has a tattoo of the word “Loyalty” emblazoned across his neck, had bad aim – and instead killed a young mother, Aisha Santiago.

When Diaz fired a half-dozen shots with a .45-caliber semi-automatic. He did so during the 3 o’clock hour on one of the Bronx’s busiest streets, with the sidewalks at Willis Avenue & East 146^th Street teeming with pedestrians, including mothers walking their children home from school.

The 25-year-old Santiago took a bullet straight to her heart, crumpling arms-length away from her 9-year-old son, and dying as she tried to crawl to her little boy.

That little boy, now a 14-year-old teenager, submitted a victim impact statement to the Court (in its entirety below), asking that Diaz “gets what he deserves.”

“There’s not a day I don’t think how my life would [have] been if she was still here…

“All I want is my mom back in my life and finish raising me and helping me [learn] right from wrong…”

“I never want to disappoint my mom but I’m not doing all the right things and making good decisions. But I do whatever I can possibly do to make her proud and see her smile.”

Diaz was sentenced to 25 years in prison with an additional five years post-release supervision by Supreme Court Justice Barbara F. Newman.

Mott Haven News: Bronx Political Icon Badillo Laid to Rest

Mott Haven News: Bronx Political Icon Badillo Laid to Rest: Bronx Political Icon Badillo Laid to Rest By David Greene BRONX, NEW YORK, DECEMBER 8 - Often called a trailblazer for becoming ...

Bronx Political Icon Badillo Laid to Rest

Bronx Political Icon Badillo Laid to Rest

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, DECEMBER 8- Often called a trailblazer for becoming the first Puerto Rican  to hold the office of Bronx Borough President, as well as becoming the nation’s first Latino elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, Herman Badillo has died at the age of 85.

According to his longtime friend and spokesman George Arzt, Badillo died on December 3, from complications related to congestive heart failure at New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Hospital in Manhattan.

Badillo was a young lawyer who had served as New York Commissioner of Housing Preservation and Development before entering politics when he was elected Borough President in 1966.

Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1970, Badillo served four terms representing New York's 21st District in the South Bronx.

In 1977, Badillo stepped down from Congress to become deputy mayor of New York City under then Mayor Ed Koch from 1978 - 1979.

Badillo ran five unsuccessful campaigns for mayor of New York City- in his last attempt he was defeated by Michael Bloomberg in 2001. Badillo would later assist in Bloomberg's reelection campaign in 2005.

In recent years, Badillo was a senior counsel for the personal injury law firm Parker Waichman Alonso.

In a prepared statement announcing Badillo's death, George Arzt stated, "He lost many elections but gained respect as a real fighter and as the nation’s highest-ranking Puerto Rican office holder."

Governor Andrew Cuomo said of Badillo, "From his tenure as Bronx Borough President to his work leading the CUNY Board of Trustees, he was a shining example of how a dedication to civil service can make a difference in the world around us."

Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., said of Badillo,"I am deeply saddened by the passing of a man whom I looked up to as a role model and who represented Latinos, Bronxites and all New Yorkers as an exemplary public servant."

Badillo was laid to rest after a private service held on December 7 at the Frank E. Campbell Funeral Home in Manhattan. He is survived by his wife Gail and son David from a previous marriage.