PBA President reacts to the conviction of an armed car thief who intentionally ran down a uniformed officer but who was acquitted by a Bronx jury after an ineffective prosecution by the Bronx DA’S office.

PBA president Patrick J. Lynch said: 

“We are indebted to the Queens District Attorney’s office and the men and women of the jury who yesterday convicted a thug by the name of Rafael Then in the armed robbery of a car from a dealership that he later used in the Bronx to shatter the leg and the career of Police Officer Fannie Ortiz.  An ineffective prosecution by the Bronx District Attorney’s office for the attempted murder of a police officer and a Bronx jury that was totally unsympathetic to the career-ending shattering of a dedicated officer’s leg resulted in the incomprehensible acquittal of this criminal who was armed with two handguns when he intentionally backed the stolen car into a uniformed officer, pinning her against a pole.  Officer Ortiz was permanently disabled from this crime and was forced to give up the job at which she was so effective, leaving this dangerous felon to be held accountable only for armed robbery.  For the good of the people of this city, we hope the court sentences this creep to the maximum sentence allowed by law.”