Two policemen have been charged with the rape of a young woman. The alleged rape took place on September 15, when two nypd officers arrested an 18-year-old woman on marijuana and other drug possession charges in Bath Beach, Brooklyn. The two officers are said to have handcuffed the suspect and thrown her into the back of their police van and driven her to a parking lot where they raped her.
Officers to hand themselves in next week
According to police sources, NYPD officers Richard Hall and Eddie Martins are said to be handing themselves to authorities early next week to face arraignment in the Brooklyn Supreme Court.
If convicted on rape charges, both officers – who work on the NYPD narcotics team in south Brooklyn – are looking at a possibility of the mandatory minimum sentence of three years up to a maximum 25 years behind bars.
According to Stephen Davis, spokesman for the NYPD, following the victim’s testimony, both officers have been suspended Friday and demoted from their detective role, while being stripped of their shields and guns.
Brave @annaaachambers https://t.co/gcYqsUH9WX
— sasocom (@sasocom16) October 28, 2017
Testimony by teen leads to indictment
As reported by the New York Daily News, the grand jury voted on the indictment on Thursday after a court case that lasted the week and which included testimony by the teenager, who told the court that both police officers had sex with her without her consent.
Her lawyer, Michael David, told the court the officers had arrested the teen during a traffic stop in Bath Beach on marijuana possession charges as well as possession of a prescription drug.
David went on to tell the court the NYPD officers then drove the teenager to a Coney Island parking lot. Martins is alleged to have then raped the teen, while both officers are said to have forced her to perform oral sex on them.
The New York Post reports that under New York State law, if two parties act together in a crime, both can be charged with the same felony, despite one not physically committing the crime.
Both NYPD officers reportedly told colleagues there was no rape and that the sex with the teenager was consensual. Mark Bederow, the lawyer for Martins, told the Daily News they look forward to defending the charges against the two officers in an official court, rather than a “court of public opinion.”
Police Commissioner James O’Neill made a statement to say the two NYPD officers will “pay the price” if the court finds the teenager’s accusations to be true.
While the teenager has not been identified due to her age, she headed to Twitter under the pseudonym of Anna Chambers on Friday. Linking to a story by the Post, she responded by saying “God bless.”
NYPD cops charged with raping woman in police van https://t.co/vV4YWzoZX6 via @nypmetro GODBLESSSSSS 💯💪🏿💪🏿👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
— Anna Chambers (@annaaachambers) October 27, 2017