EXCLUSIVE: Assault charges dropped vs. Metro-North conductor in altercation with MTA cops

[Via Garibaldi 8]

EXCLUSIVE: Assault charges dropped vs. Metro-North conductor in altercation with MTA cops

Thomas C. Zambito, tzambito@lohud.com Published 10:52 a.m. ET Feb. 5, 2018 | Updated 7:59 a.m. ET Feb. 6, 2018

VIDEOS: CONDUCTOR SCUFFLE CHARGES DROPPED Video: Conductor's scuffle with police at Grand Central. | 1:21

Conductor Thomas Moran's scuffle with MTA police at Grand Central Terminal Aug. 4, 2017.

A Manhattan judge Monday dismissed criminal charges pending against a Metro-North conductor accused of assaulting an MTA police officer in August.

"It's been a long fight," conductor Thomas Moran said. "What they did to me that night was horrendous."

Surrounded by fellow union members and his family, Moran said: "I'm an innocent man. For what they did to me I want them prosecuted."

Charges against Moran were dropped after he refused to accept a  plea deal earlier, maintaining his innocence.

A video obtained by The Journal News/lohud.com captured the scuffle on tape.

Tom Moran, center, is congratulated by family and supporters after charges against him were dismissed in Manhattan Supreme Court Feb. 5, 2018. Moran is a Metro-North conductor who was accused of assaulting MTA cops in August. (Photo: Peter Carr/The Journal News)

Back in November, Moran turned down a plea deal that would have spared him criminal charges.

During a court hearing then, Manhattan prosecutors offered to reduce assault and resisting arrest changes pending against Moran to a disorderly conduct violation, his attorney said.

Moran refused the offer, even though the deal included an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal, which means the charge wouldn’t appear on Moran’s record if he did not commit a crime for at least six months.

The fight

During the early morning hours of Aug. 4, Moran got into an altercation with two MTA police officers on a Grand Central Terminal platform after he refused a passenger who wanted to disembark the train at 125th Street in Harlem.

Northbound New Haven Line trains out of Grand Central pick up passengers at 125th Street but do not drop off passengers there.

A criminal complaint filed by an MTA police officer said Moran was yelling and cursing and flailing his arms after officers tried to intercede in the dispute. It claims Moran knocked the two officers to the ground.

Michael O’Meara, the president of the MTA Police Benevolent Association, told The Journal News/lohud in August that Moran berated the officers while they were trying to convince him to allow the handicapped passenger on the train.

Representatives of Moran’s union, the Association of Commuter Rail Employees, told a different story. They say a surveillance video shows Moran being forcibly knocked to the ground by two MTA police officers while a police dog barks in his face.

Source: https://www.lohud.com/story/news/2018/02/05/assault-charges-dropped-metro-north-conductor-altercation/301331002/

[CDTA]

Wow, the video could not be clearer. Why would they even try going forward with this case?

[QM1to6Ave]

This is very strange. There must be more to this story. 

[Truckie]

On 2/15/2018 at 5:04 PM, QM1to6Ave said:

This is very strange. There must be more to this story. 

No, not really.

[Jsunflyguy]

The fact the DA pressed charges with this evidence just reinforces whose side they're on.

[QM1to6Ave]

11 hours ago, Truckie said:

No, not really.

Well, first of all, it is unclear from the article what the issue was--was this disabled passenger trying to get on the train or off of it? And who got the cops involved? From the video, the conductor is off of the train and talking to the cops off camera, so something happened that led him to leave the train. And where is the disabled passenger? I don't see him/her in the video.  

[bimmer4me]

LOL moment when you realize they all work for the same agency. BWAHAHAHHAHHA