Documentary footage sinks rape-case prober; accused cops seeking mistrial
The New York Post by Laura Italiano - July 1, 2011
She had her moment in the spotlight -- and it's cost her her job and resulted in a mistrial request in the notorious police rape case.
Lisa Friel, who headed the Manhattan DA's Sex Crimes Unit for almost a decade, has been asked to step down from the prestigious position, according to several inside sources who say a controversial HBO documentary was the final straw that sank her. "Nobody [among DA Cyrus Vance Jr.'s inner circle] liked that documentary," said one source, speaking of "Sex Crimes Unit," which aired on June 20 and featured Friel and her staff talking and strategizing openly about actual cases. But it was some specific footage involving the Sex Crimes Unit's loss in the trial that brought the ax down on Friel -- and, ironically, it was raw footage that never even aired. Prosecutors in the case admitted last Friday that two prosecution witnesses in the case -- its chief DA investigator, Ed Tacchi, and DA investigator Lauren Liebhauser -- had discussed the case on camera, but that they had never turned the footage over to the defense before the two testified as required by state law. "We will definitely be seeking a mistrial because of this, on the counts where they were convicted," ex-cop Kenneth Moreno's lawyer, Joseph Tacopina, said yesterday. Moreno and his former partner, Franklin Mata, were convicted of misdemeanor misconduct but acquitted of rape and burglary charges on May 26, a black eye for the unit in a very public trial. The HBO "docudrama" was revealed in court Tuesday on what was supposed to have been the ex-cops' sentencing day. Instead, both defense teams received adjournment to pursue various pre-sentencing motions. Immediately after the hearing, Friel, lead prosecutor Coleen Balbert and Tacchi were called into Vance's office and were "read the riot act," said an insider. The next day, it was announced Friel was stepping down. Press officials declined to comment on the matter, except to confirm that respected Assistant District Attorney Martha Bashford has taken over the unit. laura.italiano@nypost.com
CLICK HERE TO SEE RELATED LISA FRIEL ETHICS COMPLAINT STORY
CLICK HERE TO SEE LISA FRIEL PROTECTING CONNECTED SEX-ASSAILANT LAWYER, "Attorney Gives New Meaning to Oral Argument"
Since Lisa Friel sold her soul many years ago, and she had been selling her position at the DA's office for 10 years, perhaps now she'll be able to devote all her time as the true prostitute she is. (Note to Lisa Friel: being a hooker is really a step up for you!)
ReplyDeleteThis woman Friel should have been axed years ago.
ReplyDeleteHer law license should be yanked.
WOOHOO...THE DAY HAS FINALLY ARRIVED!!!!! Lisa Friel, GOT AXED to leave.... ADA Lisa Friel also sold her soul to the DEVIL, when she protected "Politically Connected", sexual deviant, Attorney Allen H. Isaac..He committed FELONY LEVEL CRIMES... she treated the victim, Luisa Esposito, as if she was the criminal..Ms. Friel you belong in JAIL!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteADA Lisa Friel is ROTTEN to the core...she belongs behind bars...I probably could wallpaper a whole entire house with the complaints I filed against her...Hum, I wonder where those complaints are today???? Does PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT ring a bell....Does OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE ring a bell...Does JURY TAMPERING, ring a bell!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThree ex-ADA's in upstate NY, in the past 2 yrs have been charges or convicted of serious felony crimes..one should have been, but got away with a DWI because her judge "friend" took the fall for attempting to influence the non-filing of any charges against her because they both were drinking together, but she got caught.
ReplyDeleteThe Buffalo News last yr, blamed atty crimes on the stress of the profession, in an article they did to sway the public to believe that the legal and judicial professions...all composed of lawyers.... are not corrupt...but simply a product of difficult working environment.
As I worked with these ADA's, I saw their defective morality and personalities, as they worked in non stressful courtrooms...it was just who they were.
What the Buffalo News never reported was how hostile it was to work for OCA as an employee, non-lawyer...always fighting to do your job, as political employees played power games around your efforts....and continue to do so today..the workplace in some courts is absolutely brutal and evil.
So the point is.... I have not seen employees committing crimes, even violations, as they deal with having to fight to keep their jobs and NOT have OCA concoct lies and hostile workplaces in attempts to fire them...a constant issue in upstate OCA courthouses...ask the newly retired or those working when they are not afarid of the JUSTICE SYSTEM'S retaliations!
When the victim/Luisa Esposito went to the MANHATTAN DA'S OFFICE to report the SEXUAL ASSAULT CRIMES perpertrated by "Politically Connnected" Attorney ALLEN H. ISAAC, Isaac received "carte blanche" treatment by ADA LISA FRIE!L!!!!!!!! NOW I know WHY!!!!!
ReplyDeleteSo when do you think the corrupt 1st Dept DDC will look into this matter? How about NEVER! That's right NEVER! Lisa has had the rep of one of the main cover-up artists at the Manhattan DA's sewer forever! What do you think Vance will do?
ReplyDelete"they had never turned the footage over to the defense before the two testified as required by state law."
ReplyDeleteActually, New York's so-called Rosario rule (named after a long-ago case) requires DAs to turn over documentation of a prosecution witness's pre-trial statements that are within the prosecution's possession/control.
It is intended to capture such items as a police officer's memo book. But appellate courts have ruled that the Rosario rule does not extend to, e.g., autopsy reports and Department of Social Services records not in a DA's files. Constructive possession of these items is not imputed to the DA's Office because the Medical Examiner's Office & DSS are not within the law enforcement orbit.
Since those records from a government agency are not Rosario material, I seriously doubt Moreno's and Mata's lawyers really think they'll get a new trial on the ground that footage from HBO wasn't handed over to them.
I am thrilled to hear about Friel's resignation. I only wish she had been charged with criminal offenses.
ReplyDeleteMy friend Luisa Esposito went to Friel after she was sexually assaulted by Allen Isaac a hugely powerful lawyer in New York City.
The case was unambiguous: Isaac was caught on tape demanding a blow job and admitting to having touched luisa's breasts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MLv1NVg0lo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJlvm7-56S4
Lisa Friel did everything she could to derail Luisa's case against Isaac, including ALTERING evidentiary tapes and "losing" crucial evidence.
det Ed Tacchi, who was also involved in this police rape screw up, was also caught on tape threatening to beat me up, and denying my right to request court documents. That shocking tape can be heard here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plnqYzMHPFg
Half a dozen letters to Cy Vance regarding this incident were utterly ignored.
Of course the NY Post refused to cover either of these stories.
If the DA in NYC could be cleaned up, it would change EVERYTHING... but the powers of corruption will not allow that to happen.
A grievance complaint WAS filed by Luisa Esposito, AGAINST ADA Lisa Friel, at the First Departmental Disciplinary Committee...it was dismissed within days....Esposito submitted for a re-evaluation and that was dumped again...WOW!!
ReplyDeletelove this comment, funny!
ReplyDeleteSince Lisa Friel sold her soul many years ago, and she had been selling her position at the DA's office for 10 years, perhaps now she'll be able to devote all her time as the true prostitute she is. (Note to Lisa Friel: being a hooker is really a step up for you!)
I still have that image in my head of Lisa Friel pointing her finger in my face, as if I were the criminal..Ms. Friel, how much did you get paid to ditch the sexual assault crimes perpertrated by "POLITICALLY CONNECTED ATTORNEY", ALLEN H.ISAAC? What were you promised in doing so!
ReplyDeleteas they deal with having to fight to keep their jobs and NOT have OCA concoct lies and hostile workplaces in attempts to fire them...a constant issue in upstate
ReplyDeleteif they keep doing that they are going to have people taking the law into their own hands and that means a 38, permanent solutions!
POLITICALLY CONNECTED ATTORNEY", ALLEN H.ISAAC? What were you promised in doing so
ReplyDeleteprobably not to get killed or her family members hurt, Isaac prosecuted he probably would have led them to many other corrupt insiders to get his dick out of it!
POLITICALLY CONNECTED ATTORNEY", ALLEN H.ISAAC? What were you promised in doing so
ReplyDeleteprobably not to get killed or her family members hurt, Isaac prosecuted he probably would have led them to many other corrupt insiders to get his dick out of it!
Louisa,
ReplyDeleteanytime your rights are violated in a violent manner, it stays in your brain, I think they call it Tramatic Stress disorder, it is what our war persons and vets suffer from and it is normal, it is ok ,after you deal with the ilk in the world.
now will somebody get our courts in order or shut them down, before all these war vets get back and all Hell breaks loose!
ReplyDeletespeaking of TSD and dirty DA's
ReplyDeleteSusan Bjorhn of the Niagara County DA Office you are a lying paranoid bitch and you destroyed evidence that proved my innocence and then covered it up.......
another lying whore......
get some counseling you prostitute!
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