Trial Begins For Former Suffolk Police Sergeant Accused Of Stealing From Hispanic Drivers
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Opening statements began Tuesday for a former Suffolk County police sergeant accused of targeting Hispanic male drivers, pulling them over and stealing their cash.
The trial against Scott Greene started off with a rare move by the defense attorney. As WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reported, attorney Scott Gross pointed to his client and told the jury they can find him guilty on one count, but not the rest.
Greene, a married father of four, is accused of pulling over six Hispanic drivers and stealing cash from their wallets, then letting the men go. The incidents allegedly happened between 2010 and 2014, and Greene is accused of stealing upwards of $100 at a time.
Prosecutors said they have audio and video evidence of Greene taking cash from the front seat of a car during an undercover sting in January, 2014.
Greene's attorney said yes, his client committed that crime out of greed, but the witnesses in the other cases are lying.
"They all have financial motivations driven by a federal lawsuit," said Gross.