Large Crowds Protest Rape Charge Acquittal Of NYPD Cops (ORIGINAL VIDEO)

NEW YORK -- A crowd of hundreds gathered outside the criminal court in lower Manhattan on Friday evening to protest the acquittal of New York City police officers Kenneth Moreno and Franklin Mata.

The protest was organized by a coalition of women's rights groups, including Permanent Wave and Feministing. The purpose of the demonstration, as stated on the Facebook page for the event, was to urge the New York Police Department to implement comprehensive sexual assault training for new officers, along with other preventative measures that will ensure similar incidents do not happen in the future.

The organizers are giving Police Commissioner Ray Kelly one week to respond to their demands.

"The NYPD are supposed to be stewards of safety, stewards of the law," Michelle Crentsil, a union leader who helped plan the protest, told HuffPost. "It's not just about this case, it's about the entire idea of rape and sexual assault not being taken seriously."

Lori Adelman, of the women's rights group Permanent Wave, said she posted the event on Facebook the day before. Within 24 hours, the page had over 1,500 attendees.

"New Yorkers deserve to feel safe, and this verdict clearly showed that we have no reason to feel safe in this city," Adelman said at the protest.

The officers were acquitted of the rape charges on Thursday, but were convicted of three counts of "official misconduct." They were fired from the force the same day.

Warning: video contains graphic language.

Video by HuffPost's Hunter Stuart

Moreno, 43 years old, and Mata, 29, were called to help a drunken woman climb out of a taxi in 2008. The woman testified that she awoke to being raped by Moreno. Officer Mata was said to have stood guard during the incident.

Moreno was recorded assuring the woman that she "didn't have to worry about getting any diseases" because he "used a condom," but Moreno later claimed that he said that to get her to leave him alone.

Mata and Moreno will be sentenced by the State Supreme Court on June 28. They each face up to two years behind bars due to the official misconduct convictions. Had they been found guilty of rape, the pair could have been in jail for up to 25 years.

Comments

[Max Shaw]

03:18 PM on 05/31/2011

Sadly, when convicted, I doubt they will serve the full 2 years each..It'll be more of a 'loose figure.'

[sibyl9]

12:25 AM on 05/31/2011

Although I believe that the majority of our law enforcement personnel are good, there are many that aren't. It seems the Power Trip with the Guns won, unfortunately. I hope the young woman can heal.

[Leah Vollmer]

11:29 PM on 05/30/2011

In other rape news, here are the names of the adult men who were charged with gang raping an 11 year old in Cleveland, Texas. Threatening calls have been made to the girl's house...

The suspects previously arrested in the case are: Jared Glenn McPherson, 18; Kelvin Rashad King, 21; Marcus Anthony Porchia, 26; Devo Shaun Green, 20; Xavier King, 17; Eric Bernard McGowan, 19; Jared Len Cruse, 18; Isaiah Rashad Ross, 21; Timothy Daray Ellis, 19; Rayford Tyrone Ellis, Jr., 19, and Jamarcus Norris Napper.

[TedEjr]

09:20 PM on 05/30/2011

I could probably cut and paste this upcoming post, I have said it so often.

We do not have a Justice System in this country, we have a Legal System.

The difference being that the goal of a Justice System is to find the correct and culpable party to a violation of the laws of society, and then mete out appropriate recompense for the action.

A Legal System uses the rules of the game to try to win. Regardless of whether you feel the accused is or is not the perpetrator of the crime.

Which partially explains the acquittal. One side played the rules of the game better than the other.

I don't claim to have all of the answers. But, you don't have to know the spectral reasons why grass is green to be able to see that it is green. We have a long way to go in this country before we have a true justice system.

As an aside, you better hope that you are never falsely accused here. Don't take my word for it. Just ask anyone who has received help from the Innocence Project.

[VonnegutReader]

12:28 AM on 05/31/2011

Your right. Our jury system is like a practical joke where juries are given half the story and have to see if they can figure out the truth. This jury obviously wasn't capable of that.

This article from March 2009 details how Mata was willing to testify that Moreno did rape this woman in exchange for a plea deal:

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/regional/item_UtnH2DNKtTblbLjT19AZ8K

But the prosecution thought their case was so strong that they didn’t want to plead him out:

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/regional/item_qW8cDHNvBgjrxm9Cas0PYL

These points of clear cut evidence are often not allowed to be introduced at trials because they are deemed to prejudicial. Admissions of guilt tend to make the jury think you did it.

It's ironic that Mata was willing to send his own partner to prison for up to 25 years but this jury was not.

[Old Crow]

05:47 PM on 05/30/2011

Protest in front of the cops homes. Let them know they are not welcome in the community. Make it personal.

[jmstrano]

11:46 AM on 05/30/2011

"accused of raping a drunken woman." Really, huffpo?

[Justice76]

04:36 AM on 05/30/2011

The behavior of the officers was so egregious, I can't believe any jury would believe anything they said.

Moreno and Mata took her keys and visited her home four times on the night of the rape; he admittedly laid next to her in bed and later massaged her shoulders and kissed her neck; they falsified a 911 call to cover their tracks, and he admitted to having sex with her when she secretly recorded him. What more did the jury need? What more does the commissioner need? Are women now required to walk around with video cameras so they can have documented proof just in case they are raped?

[Linda L StCyr]

03:13 PM on 06/04/2011

Apparently. And don't forget to get "abortion-only" insurance just in case your rapist impregnates you... http://news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20110527/us_ac/8543019_kansas_governor_state_house_wage_war_on_women_with_antichoice_laws

[MyDawg1967]

04:42 PM on 05/29/2011

These officers have brought shame and humiliation to the bigots before them that donned the NY police uniform.

[bushwickfreddy]

04:30 PM on 05/29/2011

Has any NY police officer ever been found guilty of anything?? I think in the 16 years I've lived in New York City and heard of people being sodomized with nightsticks, shot 36 times when their cell phone was "mistaken" for a gun, and now not being raped--but snuggled by two officers, I have to wonder if the criminal justice system is a farce or is the jury simply hoping to get jury duty over with as quickly as possible..

[Manderin Theatrics]

09:26 PM on 05/29/2011

There is a reason why the criminal mentality is attracted to that job. It's the only job where they can commit acts of violence with impunity and get away with it- even get paid during it. It's like the Catholic church's pedophile problem. Pedophiles are attracted to the job of priest because it is a job that gives them authority and trust of parents in the community that would be willing to leave their children alone with them, and since they're not allow to marry it allows them to avoid suspicion from others when they don't date or look at any women. Just like Priesthood is set up to be the Pedophile's dream job, Police Officer is set up to be the criminal's dream job.

[AF3IRM]

04:28 PM on 05/29/2011

Michelle Crentsil, who's quoted in both article and video, is a member of AF3IRM -- whose NY chapter was at the protest march.

[Nyah Molineaux]

04:27 PM on 05/29/2011

Why should anyone be surprised that the NYPD has gotten away with abusing people? They have done it with people of color, why not with women?

[Land of the Sorta Free]

03:09 PM on 05/29/2011

Now, it's easy to understand how it is that a serial killer rose up in the ranks to Sgt, isn't it? Drew Peterson cops "looking out for our safety and security" Drew never had a trial and is still free because of the shame and embarrassment. He is still out there. Does he have a Cop reality show yet? "How to get rid of wives trying to leave"?

[facsmiley]

03:12 PM on 05/30/2011

Drew Peterson has been in jail for more than two years awaiting trial for the murder of Kathleen Savio. If you are interested in keeping up to date with the case I recommend our blog: Justice Cafe: http://petersonstory.wordpress.com/

[Land of the Sorta Free]

03:04 PM on 05/29/2011

Police are notoriously bad in bed anyway, Ladies.

[manicore]

02:35 PM on 05/29/2011

Justice American style! Three types of Justice, one for the Rich and one for the Poor. And if your victimized by the Police you
get No justice.

[MayorsRevenge]

02:34 PM on 05/29/2011

They had their trial and were found to be 'not guilty'. It's not as if they were never prosecuted. I'm sure everyone here is going to play judge jury and executioner however...

[Mattea Berry]

02:57 PM on 05/29/2011

They were police officers who were called to help a woman who was too drunk to function, and by their own admission "snuggled" with her in bra and panties. You don't see a problem there?

[Lotus19]

03:21 PM on 05/29/2011

Incredible, isn't it. Real neanderthals.

[MayorsRevenge]

04:36 PM on 05/29/2011

1. They were fired.
2. They were tried.
3. Since I wasn't there - I have no idea whose side to believe.
4. You weren't there either so I trust you have formed opinions based entirely upon second hand information.