Feb. 22

Pat Lynch and Mubarak Abdul-Jabbar appear on Kiss-FM"s "Open Line" to defend Officer Richard Neri's exoneration.

Feb. 18

All the daily newspapers quote either Pat Lynch or PBA lawyer Stu London in reaction to the no-true-bill in the Stansbury case. (See statement below.)

Feb. 17

Pat Lynch's photo and quotes accompany the Chief's coverage of the PBA call for Commissioner Kelly's resignation. "PBA President Patrick J. Lynch told reporters...that Mr. Kelly's statement (calling the Stansbury shooting 'unjustified') sent a message that 'when all goes wrong and there's a tragedy, you will not have the backing of the police commissioner of the NYPD.'" The Brooklyn grand jury's decision not to indict Officer Richard Neri in the shooting of Timothy Stansbury is covered by every local TV and radio station in New York City. Videotape of Lynch at the delegates meeting where the no-confidence vote against Kelly was taken is shown on many of these stations and statements by either Lynch or Stu London are carried on all of them as well as on WCBS news radio: The statement: "There are no winners in this case. This was a tragedy from the start, involving a loss of life that a family must live with for the rest of their lives and that this police officer must deal with as well. We are appreciative that that the members of this grand jury were able to look at the facts, review them impartially and had the courage to make their decision. I'm sure it was a difficult one."

Feb. 12

Editorials in the New York Times, New York Post, Daily News and Amsterdam News criticize Pat Lynch for the PBA's no-confidence vote in Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and the police union leader's call for Kelly's resignation for his rush to judgement in the Stansbury case. In reporting the decision to deny Herman Bell's parole application, several newspapers credit the PBA with collecting thousands of signatures opposing Bell's release. "We're relieved for the families of the murdered police officers, and we're grateful to the tens of thousands of the people of the city who rose to the occasion to oppose the parole," Lynch told the Daily News.

Feb. 11

Pat Lynch is heard live on WOR radio, repeating his call for Police Commissioner Ray Kelly's resignation. The story is also covered in the New York Sun, Daily News, New York Post, Newsday and the New York Times, which call Lynch "outspoken in his criticism of Mr. Kelly's actions." The Times quotes Lynch: "Commissioner Kelly gave a message to the 23,000 New York City police officers that said basically this: Take all the risks of doing your job, go up on all those roofs, patrol all those subway platforms, walk the streets day and night, take the risks to your family, but then when the worst happens, when there's a tragedy, that you will not have the backing of the New York police commissioner."

Feb. 10

Pat Lynch is quoted in The Chief, in a story about the $1 million judgement Det. David Gonzalez won against William Hodges: "This thug shot and tried to kill a police officer and the courts let him out on a technicality. The PBA will use every legal means at our disposal to make him pay for the damage he's done." Another article in The Chief credits the PBA with being the first union to terminate its contract and file suit against National Prescription Administrators (NPA), claiming it has overcharged for prescription drugs. Lynch's press conference at which he announces a membership vote of no-confidence in Police Commissioner Kelly and calls for Kelly's resignation because of his rush to judgement in calling the Terence Stansbury shooting unjustified and other issues. The conference is covered by NY 1 and Channels 2, 4, 5, 7 (live), 9 and 11 and by the Regional News Network (RNN) and WCBS and WINS news radio stations.

Feb. 8

The Daily News interviews more cops from the 24th Precinct.

Feb. 6

The Daily News reports that the PBA has served a $1 million judgement on William Hodges, shooter of Police Officer (now Detective) David Gonzalez.

Feb. 5

Pat Lynch is quoted in a Daily News article about today's scheduled arraignment of William Hodges, the man who shot Officer David Gonzalez, for assaulting another police officer: "If this thug Hodges was in jail, as he clearly should be, he wouldn't have had the chance to assault another cop." Pat Lynch is seen and heard on NY 1 and Channel 5, making comments at the funeral of Sgt. Keith Ferguson, who died of a heart attack Feb. 7 while chasing an offender. Lynch is interviewed on Channel 4, alerting the public that the PBA does no telephone fund-raising and that they should not contribute to anyone claiming to be from the PBA and soliciting donations by phone.

Feb. 4

Pat Lynch is quoted in a Newsday story about Herman Bell's parole hearing: "He is a cold- blooded murderer, not a victim of his ideals." Al O'Leary is quoted in the Daily News article: "As far as the PBA is concerned, Bell 'can continue doing wonderful things — in prison, until he dies.'" Bill Farrell's Civil Service column in the Daily News reports that Pat Lynch will be honored as the Irishman of the Year at the NYPD Emerald Society dinner-dance later this month.

Feb. 3

Pat Lynch's photo and quotes accompany a story in The Chief about the PBA President charging that Police Commissioner Kelly's rush to judgement in the Stansbury case has tainted the grand jury and departmental investigations. Al O'Leary is also quoted in the piece: "Pat Lynch and the membership are furious over the premature conclusion announced by the Police Commissioner. Mr. Lynch believes it has tainted the investigation. PBA attorneys are considering taking action so that the Police Commissioner is not the final arbiter of the case." Lynch's position is also discussed in The Chief's editorial, which says Lynch believes the Commissioner "had prejudged the case and wasn't backing the officers he commands. In essence, they (the PBA) are accusing Mr. Kelly of hanging Police Officer Richard Neri out to dry to head off any racial unrest..." The Chief also runs an item reporting that Lynch will be honored Feb. 27 as the NYPD Emerald Society's man of the year. PBA attorney Greg Longworth is quoted in a Daily News story about William Hodges, the man released on a technicality after shooting Officer David Gonzalez, being arrested for assaulting another police officer: "If you shoot a New York City police officer, there will be far-reaching ramifications," Longworth told the News. "Hodges is clearly a menace." NY 1 and Channel 2 cover press conference concerning the parole hearing for Herman Bell. In its report, NY 1 quotes the PBA saying "Bell should stay behind bars because he is a cold-blooded killer." Channel 2 quotes a Lynch statement: "Most of the families of deceased police officers are united in the belief that there should be no parole for cop killers. New York State has to send a message, if you kill a police officer, you don't get an early out."

Feb. 2

The New York Post runs an editorial about today's deadline for petitions opposing parole for Herman Bell, killer of Officers Joseph Piagentini and Waverly Jones. The editorial credits the PBA with collecting more than 6,000 signatures.

Jan. 31

The Daily News publishes an op-ed page column by Pat Lynch explaining why Police Commissioner Kelly's rush to judgement in the Stansbury case was wrong. Excerpts: "His [Kelly's] premature statement only hours into the investigation effectively tainted it and caused the public discourse to change from determining what occurred on the rooftop to demanding prison for the officer...The extraordinary work police officers do earns us the benefit of the doubt and the presumption of professionalism. We deserve, at minimum, the same due process granted to every American. In this case, that right has been compromised." Al O'Leary is quoted in Newsday, responding to a report that Lynch met with Kelly last Wednesday: "Lynch is concerned that the Commissioner's premature conclusion could impact on the investigation and make his characterization of the shooting a self-fulfilling prophecy. This prompted Lynch to ask for a meeting with Kelly so that he could air his concerns."

Jan. 30

Pat Lynch's criticism of Kelly as "absolutely wrong" for calling the Stansbury shooting "unjustified" before all the facts are in is discussed in Len Levitt's One Police Plaza column in Newsday.

Jan. 29

Pat Lynch is mentioned in Steve Dunleavy's column in the New York Post about the Stansbury case Dunleavy writes: "He (Police Officer Richard Neri) is balancing against the way Commissioner [Ray] Kelly came out saying the shooting was unjustified. But he is optimistic, since PBA President Pat Lynch came to his support, that he will get a full and fair opportunity to tell his side of the story." Lynch is mentioned in a New York Post story on the "ticket blitz." (See also May 2003 stories on ticket blitz .)

Jan. 28

Pat Lynch's visit to DA Hynes is covered in the Daily News, New York Post, Newsday and The Sun. "This was definitely a rush to judgement on the commissioner's part," he told The Sun. "You cannot have been able to come up with a conclusion without interviewing every witness involved. We were all taken aback that so shortly after this incident the police commissioner would come out and say there was no justification." Lynch is quoted in the New York Times, in a story about how the city issued more summonses during the last fiscal year: "It's a clear demonstration that a quota system exists and unfortunately it takes discretion away from the police officers and forces the public to pay the price." Lynch is interviewed on Channel 2 about the "ticket blitz" issue. Lynch is on Bob Grant's radio call-in program on WOR-AM, criticizing the police commissioner for his rush to judgement in the Stansbury case.

Jan. 27

Pat Lynch is quoted in Newsday on the Stansbury shooting and Police Commissioner Kelly's "rush to judgement" by calling the incident "apparently unjustified." "He's not standing behind the police officers and that's how the membership feels," Lynch said. "Our concern here is how can the police commissioner come out with a determination that there's no justification before all the facts are in, before the police officer who is involved in the shooting had the opportunity to speak to the district attorney's office. How can you then make a determination that it's not justified before all those facts are in? It's unheard of to so quickly make that determination." An editorial in The Sun says Lynch "lost little time in condemning Commissioner Kelly for allegedly making a rush to judgement." Lynch's visit to Brooklyn DA Hynes' office is covered on NY1 and Channels 2, 4 and 7 and on WINS and WCBS news radio.

Jan. 26

Pat Lynch appears on NY 1's "Inside City Hall," criticizing Police Commissioner Ray Kelly for rushing to judgement in the rooftop shooting of Timothy Stansbury, Jr. Earlier in the day, he is heard on WCBS and WINS news radio on the incident. He is quoted in the New York Times, New York Post, Daily News and Newsday. . Lynch's statement is quoted in full in most of this coverage: "It is absolutely wrong for Commissioner Kelly to have jumped to conclusions when he knows that the police officer involved has not had an opportunity to speak with the district attorney's office. This investigation should be allowed to move forward without being tainted by politics or comments by Police Commissioner Kelly or others." Lynch was also interviewed on Channels 2, 4, 5, 7 and 11. Reacting to Police Commissioner calling the shooting "apparently unjustifiable," Lynch told Channel 2: "How can you come up with that conclusion without having all the pieces to the puzzle, without taking all the facts, interviewing all the witnesses and putting the time-line together?"

Jan. 23

Pat Lynch is seen and heard on Channel 2 and Fox-5 opposing parole for the Jose Curet, the killer of Police Officer George Werdann of the 47 Pct. in February 1982: "This is a cold-blooded killer that laid in ambush to kill this police officer. He should not and must not ever see the light of day." Pat Lynch also speaks against a rush to judgment on the rooftop shooting on UPN-9.

Jan. 11

Pat Lynch is a guest on Steve Malzberg's Sunday morning talk show. He discusses the need to deny Herman Bell's and Anthony Bottoms's parole requests and the PBA's Times Square billboard urging raises for New York City police officers. Al O'Leary is quoted in a New York Post story about a history of illnesses at the 24 Pct.: "Our delegates have discussed some medical problems with a number of officers in that precinct, offered to file grievances, recommended the possibility of legal action in the future, and none of the officers were interested in pursuing it."

Jan. 10

Pat Lynch is quoted in a Daily News story about the reaction to Mayor Bloomberg's decision to give homeowners a $400 tax rebate. "The mayor is fond of saying that he wishes he could pay New York City police officers more. Now that the economy is turning around, evidenced by a well-deserved real estate rebate, we'll see if he is sincere." The PBA rally opposing the parole of Herman Bell and Anthony Bottom is covered in Newsday. Diane Piagentini is quoted.

Jan. 9

Pat Lynch and line-of-duty widow Diane Piagentini are seen and heard on NY1, Fox-5, Channel 2 and Channel 7 and heard on WINS at the PBA-sponsored rally opposing the parole of Patrolmen Joseph Piagentini's and Waverly Jones' killers, Herman Bell and Anthony Bottom. Lynch's photo with Diane Piagentini runs on the Associated Press wire.

Jan. 7

Pat Lynch's photo and appears in a Newsday article about the rally against the parole of the killers of Officers Piagentini and Jones. The story is also covered by the Daily News, New York Post, NY1 and New York Sun. "New York City police officers have not forgotten," Lynch told the Daily News. Reacting to statements by City Council Member Charles Barron calling the killers "political prisoners," Lynch told the Sun: "There are some politicians in this city that say these murders were a political statement. Murder is murder."

Jan. 6

Photos of Pat Lynch and members of the PBA's Executive Board in front of the PBA's Times Square billboard — plus quotes from Pat Lynch — appear in the New York Times, the Daily News, Newsday and the Staten Island Advance, and quotes from Lynch also appear in the New York Post. "We want the public to know that the reason they are living in safety is because of New York City police officers," Lynch tells the Times, "and we think they'd be surprised to know that we're not being paid as police professionals are in other communities." Al O'Leary is quoted in the Daily News and the Staten Island Advance, in articles about the PBA's opposition to parole for the two former Black Liberation Army convicted of killing New York City police officers Joseph Piagentini and Waverly Jones in 1971: "These two cop killers have been called political prisoners, which is just patently absurd." Pat Lynch and police widow Diane Piagentini are seen and heard on Channels Two, Four, Five, Seven and Nine at a rally opposing the paroles. They are also heard on WINS and WCBS news radio.

Jan. 5

Pat Lynch and the PBA's giant Times Square billboard are seen in a 3-minute package on NY1, in which Lynch gets to argue for higher pay for New York City police officers. Ordinary New Yorkers and tourists are also seen and heard supporting the idea of paying New York City cops what they deserve. Channels 5 and 9 also air footage of the billboard, the zipper below it reading "NYC cops deserve better pay," and soundbites from Lynch. Lynch also is heard discussing the issue on WINS news radio.

Jan. 3

Al O'Leary is interviewed on the WINS news radio coverage of the Mary Jo White story.

Jan. 2

Al O'Leary is quoted in a Daily News story about the PBA hiring former federal prosecutor Mary Jo White to defend the union in a lawsuit brought in connection with former police officer Joseph Gray. "We have an obligation to provide the police officer's union with the best possible representation available, and in this particular lawsuit Mary Jo White knows the terrain better than anybody."