Report: New Grand Jury To Investigate 2011 Shooting By Off-Duty Nassau Cops
HUNTINGTON, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) - A new grand jury probe will look into the 2011 shooting of an unarmed cab driver by an off-duty Nassau County police officer, according to a published report.
Officer Anthony DiLeonardo beat, shot and wounded cabbie Thomas Moroughan in Huntington Station two years ago during a roadside dispute, according to an internal affairs investigation.
According to Newsday, a new Suffolk County grand jury will consider criminal charges against the cop who was off-duty and had been bar-hopping the night of the incident.
Report: New Grand Jury To Investigate 2011 Shooting By Off-Duty Nassau Cops
DiLeonardo and another officer involved in the incident were subpoenaed for the new grand jury investigation, Newsday reported.
DiLeonardo's attorney said the evidence will exonerate his client.
"The individual involved confessed to driving his car towards Officer DiLeonardo, and confessed that that's the reason why he was fired upon," Barket told WCBS 880 Long Island Bureau Chief Mike Xirinachs. "He'll certainly cooperate completely with the investigation. He would like to see the individual who tried to run him over with a car prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
The grand jury is expected to convene in the next few weeks and could consider charges ranging from assault to attempted murder, Newsday reported.
Officials determined DiLeonardo shot at Moroughan five times, striking him twice.
An internal investigation had concluded DiLeonardo unlawfully shot the cab driver. He and Officer Edward Bienz were involved in the incident.
Both men remain on the Nassau Police force and no criminal charges were filed.
Moroughan survived his injuries and has filed a $30 million civil suit.
He was initially charged following the Feb. 2011 incident, but the charges were subsequently dropped.
You May Also Be Interested In These Stories
