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Thursday, January 15, 2009

[NY] Cop-on-cop domestic violence is FIFTH ARREST in 9 months for STILL-A-COP John Lewis

...Sunday’s arrest was [Schenectady police officer John] Lewis’ fifth since April 2008... Thirty-eight-year-old John Lewis of Schenectady was arrested Sunday, after police received a call from Lewis's mother at 3:47 a.m., stating he was destroying the house and physically fighting with his brother, an Albany police officer... "[LEWIS] HAS NO BUSINESS BEING A POLICE OFFICER," Mayor Brian Stratton said. "BUT AS MUCH AS I'D LIKE TO BRING THE HAMMER DOWN ON HIM, THERE IS A DEGREE OF PROTECTION THAT IS AFFORDED TO HIM UNDER THE LAW AND WE HAVE TO RESPECT THAT"... Lewis has filed a civil lawsuit against the Schenectady Police Department, alleging that the department and his wife conspired in an attempt to get him fired...

Previous entries:

SCHENECTADY POLICE OFFICER ARRESTED AGAIN
CBS 6 News
January 12, 2009 - 2:42 PM
[Excerpts] A Schenectady police officer, already facing charges for drunk driving and harrassment, has again been arrested, this time in connection with a domestic dispute involving his mother and his brother. Thirty-eight-year-old John Lewis of Schenectady was arrested Sunday, after police received a call from Lewis's mother at 3:47 a.m., stating he was destroying the house and physically fighting with his brother, an Albany police officer. Lewis was charged with misdemeanor fourth-degree criminal mischief. He was arraigned Sunday morning in Schenectady City Court and released. Lewis is already serving a 30-day suspension from the Schenectady Police Department in connection with his Dec. 27th arrest for allegedly driving drunk and getting into an accident on Eastern Ave. He was arrested in November of 2008 for stalking and aggravated harrassment of his ex-wife; he was also charged with harrassment in June, but later cleared of those charges... [Full article here]

WHY DOES SCHENECTADY COP STILL HAVE A JOB?
WRGB, NY - Jan 13, 2009
Steve Flamisch
January 13, 2009
[Excerpts] He's been arrested five times in nine months, so why does Schenectady Police Officer John Lewis still have a job? It's complicated. The Lewis case may hinge on a separate matter going before the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). The city and the police union are submitting legal briefs in a case that will determine police disciplinary procedures... [Schenectady's City Corporation Counsel John] Van Norden argues the city has disciplinary power under a 103 year-old, grandfathered clause in the city charter. But Michael Ravalli, an attorney for the Police Benevolent Association, said the collective bargaining agreement between the city and the union allows a disciplined officer to appeal to an independent arbitrator. "The city can appoint a hearing officer, who listens to proof from both sides and makes a recommendation to the mayor," Ravalli said. "If the mayor accepts the recommendation, the [police officer] can appeal to the independent arbitrator"... "[Lewis] has no business being a police officer," [Mayor Brian Stratton] Stratton said. "But as much as I'd like to bring the hammer down on him, there is a degree of protection that is afforded to him under the law and we have to respect that"... [Full article here]

SCHENECTADY COP ARRESTED AGAIN, FIFTH TIME SINCE APRIL
North Country Gazette, NY - Jan 12, 2009
Schenectady Cop Arrested Again, Fifth Time Since April
Posted on Monday, 12 of January , 2009 at 4:06 pm
[Excerpts] The charges are piling up against Schenectady police officer John Lewis. Lewis, 39, of Oregon Ave., Schenectady, already facing criminal charges for allegedly stalking his wife, driving while intoxicated and traffic counts, has again been arrested. Lewis was charged with fourth degree criminal mischief Sunday for allegedly destroying a kitchen table at an Oregon Ave. home during a domestic dispute involving his mother and brother who is a police officer in the City of Albany... Sunday’s arrest was Lewis’ fifth since April 2008. In November, Lewis was charged with third degree stalking and second degree aggravated harassment for allegedly threatening his wife, Alison Lewis, both in person and over the phone, allegedly telling her he would kill her and whoever she was with. Lewis pleaded not guilty in that case and was released on his own recognizance. An order of protection has been issued. Lewis, a 15-year veteran of the Schenectady Police Department, had been arrested in May after his ex-wife accused him of grabbing and pushing his wife during an argument about custody of their three-year-old son. A charge of harassment against him was dismissed by City Court Judge Guido Loyola and he was acquitted of the assault charge in June following a jury trial. Lewis has filed a civil lawsuit against the Schenectady Police Department, alleging that the department and his wife conspired in an attempt to get him fired... [Full article here]

SCHENECTADY POLICE OFFICER, ARRESTED AGAIN, MISSES COURT
Alcohol use alleged in mischief charge after incident at home
Schenectady Gazette, NY
By Steven Cook
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
[Excerpts] Suspended city police officer John W. Lewis was in treatment Monday, a day after his latest alcohol-related arrest, his attorney said... It was Lewis’ fifth arrest since April 2008. He is currently on suspension without pay after his fourth arrest, a drunk driving charge, from last month. All the incidents have been in the city. Lewis was arraigned on the charge Sunday in City Court and released on his own recognizance, an arrangement similar to those made after his previous arrests. He was to appear for further proceedings Monday on the new charge, as well as his other charges, but he did not appear. Instead, his attorney Michael Horan told City Court Judge Guido Loyola that Lewis could not make the appearance as he is receiving treatment at St. Mary’s Hospital in Amsterdam. He usually goes two days a week for outpatient treatment, but he has been admitted, possibly for as long as two to four weeks, Horan told the court... City officials fired him in 1998 over allegations he used a racial slur off duty, behind police headquarters. The city, however, was ordered to rehire him when an arbitrator ruled the city was “unduly harsh” in firing him... Lewis was first charged in April with the violation of harassment of his estranged wife. The case stemmed from allegations that he grabbed and pushed his wife during a dispute over their child. He was acquitted of that in June in a City Court trial. In the meantime, he was also charged with a more serious count of criminal contempt, accused of violating an order of protection issued in the harassment case. In that case, he is accused of phoning the woman several times, driving by her and going to her workplace. The contempt case remains pending. He was also charged in November with threatening to kill his ex-wife. The divorce was final in September... The arrests have generated a number of court appearances, including some where Lewis didn’t show up, while offering excuses, prosecutor Christina Tremante told Loyola in court. She asked Loyola to issue a bench warrant for Lewis because he wasn’t in court Monday, despite Horan’s representations that Lewis was in treatment. Loyola left open the question Monday, ordering Horan to provide documentation that Lewis is where Horan said he is by the end of the business day today. If the papers aren’t received, a warrant will be issued, Loyola said. [Full article here]
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3 comments:

  1. PerdureJanuary 17, 2009

    This AssHOLE needs to be locked down and not out on our streets comitting more crimes!!!

    The Chief needs to make a serious move to get him off the streets and put him behind bars where he needs to be before he kills someone.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJanuary 18, 2009

    FIFTH ARREST? Looks like New York state is in competition with northeastern Pa. with their dangerously lenient sentencing for sociopathic officers such as this John Lewis. The man needs to be in the mental ward;not on the streets a threat to all he encounters. I've said it before: NATIONAL REFORM FOR ALL LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS! starting with very strict screening to determine if there is any underlying serious mental health issues which would deem an individual unfit to serve as an officer. hey, these guys did not just suddenly wake up one day and have serious mental health problems "appear":THEIR MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES WERE ALREADY THERE! stress from the job only worsens and does not create the problem. As far as I'm concerned a LOT of this BS can certainly be prevented. Too many innocents have been treated savagely by these miscreants who have no business wearing a badge!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousMarch 04, 2009

    John is seriously a dangerous person!!! Previously, he had dated a certain girl who I knew very well. I saw the aftermath of what he had done to that poor girl, she didn’t care to report to the police department as she knew it would be pointless. John has a big drinking problem and sooner or later he will KILL some innocent person. I can’t believe the Schenectady Police Department doesn’t recognize all this!!!! Perhaps they are as twisted as John Lewis.

    ReplyDelete

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