STATEN ISLAND COPS DEEMED RACIST

Dad says Staten Island cops traumatized egg-throwing son
BY RACHEL MONAHAN and ALISON GENDAR DAILY NEWS WRITERS

Two New York City cops were charged with child endangerment and unlawful imprisonment Friday for dumping a 14-year-old boy at a Staten Island swamp, police said.
Officers Richard Danese and Thomas Elliassen caught high school freshman Rayshawn Moreno throwing eggs at cars on Halloween and decided to mete out their own punishment, police said.

The 120th Precinct cops packed Rayshawn into their squad car, drove him 2 miles into a neighboring precinct and left him in a desolate area, authorities said. The boy's dad, James Hazel, told the Daily News Thursday that the cops had stripped off the teen's clothes, leaving him in only boxer shorts and socks.

The cops later told supervisors they were only trying to scare the youth and turned around and drove back to find him minutes after dropping him off. But the Port Richmond High School student already had walked to a nearby strip mall and asked a security guard to call his parents for help.

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The two cops, both 28 and on the force for three years, were charged with endangering the welfare of a child and second-degree unlawful imprisonment, both misdemeanors, authorities said. They were each issued desk appearance tickets and released. The officers have been placed on modified duty.

A source said the cops denied stripping or manhandling Rayshawn. Hazel said he believed the two white cops thought they could pick on a black teen and get away with it. He also said the charges were too lenient.
"We want justice for what my son went through," Hazel said. "A regular citizen would have been charged with kidnapping. The officers should be punished to the full extent of the law.
"My son, he's not taking it well," Hazel added. "He wakes up at night sweating." A lawyer for the officers declined to comment last night.