Author Archive

Newsday/Rick Brand

The State Commission on Judicial Conduct has censured Family Court Judge AndrewG. Tarantino, Jr., for taking a troubled 20 year old male drug defendant on a ride to Robert MosesState Park in 2009 without the knowledge or permission of any lawyers on the case.  In itsnine-page ruling, the commission determined it was improper as well as inappropriate and showedextremely poor judgment for Tarantino to take an out of court excursion with the young manduring a lunch recess.  Victim rights advocate Laura Ahearn said the censure sends a powerfulmessage his

South Shore Press

Suffolk County Police arrested six men for failure to register as sex offenders. –  Samuel Dash, a 44 year old Level 3 sex offender, of 240-05 Jericho Turnpike,Bellerose, was charged with Failure to Register Subsequent Offense. –  William Wrenn, a 41 year old Level 1 sex offender, who is undomiciled, was arrestedin Farmingdale and charged with Failure to Register Subsequent Offense. –  Charles Austin, a 40 year old Level 1 sex offender, of 185 Old Quogue Road,Flanders, was charged with Failure to Register Subsequent Offense. –  Simeon

newsday.com/Sid Cassese

Judge Valerie Alexander, a District Court judge of the First District Court in Hempstead,has ruled that Nassau County’s law barring convicted sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet ofa school is invalid because it is inconsistent with state law.  Alexander said the state lawtakes precedence over Nassau.  State law requires that only registered sex offenders on paroleor probation be required to live beyond 1,000 feet of a school.  In Nassau’s law, there is nodistinction between sex offenders on parole or probation and those who are not.  In a

philly.com/Larry King

Walter Meyerle, a 34 year old Falls township man, has been charged in only one case -accused of repeated rape and other sexual assaults on a 15 year old girl beginning when she was14.  Bucks County authorities paint him as a serial sexual predator of children.  Meyerlesoon will face charges in an undisclosed number of cases under investigation involving otherunderage victims.  The girl told investigators that she and Meyerle had phone sex about 50times while her parents were asleep and had sexual intercourse at least four times at

philly.com

Charles Daniel Hurst, a 37 year old former Pennbrook Middle School vice principal, hasadmitted to sending salacious text messages to two teenage students.  Hurst pleaded guilty totwo counts of corrupting a minor and one of cocaine possession.
(Norristown, Pennsylvania)

Newsday/Laura Ahearn

It’s been more than two years since Marcelo Lucero lay dying on a Patchogue street, thevictim of a brutal, racially motivated stabbing.
His senseless murder stunned the people of Suffolk County, shocked the nation and galvanizedmany in their resolve to take action to combat hate crime.
Lucero’s name continues to be used as a rallying cry — by some, for meaningful change, butby others, for personal or political agendas well outside of the scope of improving the mechanismsfor reporting hate crime and easing the suffering of victims.  This tragedy should