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This is PBA Treasurer Joe Alejandro. Thanks for calling the PBA hotline. Police Officer David Gonzalez was shot by a low-level crack dealer as he was arresting him back in 1999. Recently, Supreme Court judge Laura Blackburne released the near cop killer under the speedy trial provision. Questions have been raised regarding the possibility of a relationship between the judge and the mother of the defendant, William Hodges. Pat Lynch, PBA board members, and dozens of police officers were on hand at the courthouse as the Queens District Attorney’s Office argued against the dismissal of charges. The PBA held a news conference afterwards attended by virtually every news organization in the city to express our outrage over the release of this near cop killer. There was massive media coverage on TV, radio and in the newspapers. The judge has reserved decision until December 6 and the PBA will be there in support of Officer Gonzalez and to press for the reinstatement of the charges. The first part of a campaign to warn the public about the dangers of reducing the numbers of police officers began on Monday, November 11 with the broadcast of radio commercial featuring Pat Lynch called “a formula for disaster.” This commercial will air for a full week on six major radio stations during peak hours to reach the largest public audience. The PBA will roll out more information about the shrinking of the NYPD and the dangers to the city at news conferences and in additional paid media over the next few months. For more information on the radio commercial, log onto our website at nycpba.org. This is Joe Alejandro. Thanks for calling the PBA hotline. |
November
14, 2002 
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