The Week In Review

The week at a glance

Swine flu is still in the headlines in New York. You can sense the panic among people. Since the flu has originated in Mexico, America’s neighbor to the south, some “geniuses” are wondering if all infected Mexicans sneeze at the same time on a windy day, will all Texans get the swine flu? Even though the doctors say hygiene masks do not protect against the flu, one can see people wearing them in public places.

Unusual criminal cases are on the rise nowadays. I hadn’t seen Ray Kelly, the commissioner of the NYPD, as furious as he was the other day. Referring to his “New York’s Best” police, he says, “Who will protect our women if the police are the ones who hurt them?” The incident is disgusting and scary. A 27-year-old woman gets drunk at a bar in Brooklyn. Her friends get a cab for her and instruct the cab driver to take her home. She throws up on the way home and doesn’t leave the cab when they arrive at her place. So the cab driver calls the cops and they accompany her to her apartment.

Police officer Ken Moreno reports the incident with a fake name and the police station assigns the case to him and his friend Frank Mata. Moreno and his friend rape the woman who is helplessly lying on her bed. As she is starting to sober up, she secretly records Moreno saying “Don’t worry, I used a condom.” She files a complaint the next day. Based on the surveillance cameras in the building and the voice recording, the two police officers were indicted. They pleaded not guilty and have posted the $175,000 bail.

“Bad police” incidents are not rare in New York. Those who are mistreated by the police are fighting for their rights. Ten thousand six hundred and twenty five complaints were filed against the police and $540 million have been paid to the victims of misconduct. Who pays for that money? The very same people, the public. The total amount of traffic fines collected yearly is $600 million.

Teresa Tambunting, who has been working at a jewelry firm in Queens for 28 years, is being accused of stealing $12 million worth of gold from the company vault in the last six years. She brought a bag full of necklaces, bracelets and rings and handed it to her manager when they initiated an inventory count in the vault. When her manager asked her if that was all she had, she said yes. However, brought yet another bag full of jewelry three weeks later – only this time she brought her lawyer as well. She will be sentenced to 25 years if pleaded guilty.

High society has their own share of fun at the courts. Brooke Astor bought houses and cars for her son Anthony Marshall. She paid for all his expenses and gave him money for years – until he ran away with Charlene, who is 21 years younger than him and was married to a pastor at Mrs. Astor’s local church. Astor was furious at her son and their relationship soured after that incident. When she died in 2004, according to her will, she left $60 million to her son. The Astor foundation accused Marshall of allegedly redirecting and stealing his mother’s millions noting that the old woman didn’t even recognize her closest friends in her last few years. Her friends, including Henry Kissinger, David Rockefeller and fashion designer Oscar de la Renta’s wife Annette will testify about her confused mind and that she was in no condition to change the financial statements on her will. People say Charlene pushed Marshall to prepare fake documents.