Posted on 08/23/2013 4:40:31 AM PDT by Behind Liberal Lines
CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. -- Police Chief David Zack was ready to let the public hear what three school teachers talked about with a jailed teenage murder suspect during phone calls that the chief said should get the teachers fired.
But with a news conference scheduled Thursday, lawyers stepped in and threatened civil action, forcing Zack to keep the details secret for now. "There are persons who do not want this information to be made public," the suburban Buffalo chief told reporters, saying he's even more determined to make the information known.
The Cheektowaga Central High School teachers received the calls at school last year from Dontre Jones, an 18-year-old student who was awaiting trial after being charged with second-degree murder in a 2011 shooting, Zack said.
The conversations, which were recorded, broke no laws but interfered with the police investigation and had the potential to affect Jones' trial, he said. The teachers' comments went beyond sentiments like "hang in there," he said, while declining to characterize them further.
School Superintendent Dennis Kane said he could not comment because the district is investigating the employees' conduct. The teachers, whose names have not been released, are on paid leave.
"This is the first time anything like this has ever happened and it's such a bizarre set of circumstances," Zack said. "This is one of those problems you can't imagine happening. It's that strange."
In June, Jones was convicted of first-degree manslaughter in the death of 19-year-old Ira Watkins Jr. at Cheektowaga Town Park. He is scheduled to be sentenced Monday.
After listening to the conversations between Jones and the teachers, police took them to the Erie County District Attorney's Office, which ruled out criminal charges but decided the school district should hear what was said. District Attorney Frank Sedita III was out of the office and unavailable to comment Thursday.
Zack said it was apparent to him the teachers should be fired.
"The line wasn't brushed up against," he said. "It was crossed over."
Since we are given very little info (thanks btw for posting this), I’d say the playing field on speculation is wide open.
A young negro thug decides a white Jewish boy has dissed him, and so he shoots him.
After he is in jail, three of his negro teachers call him and say “we’re so glad you shot that mouthy jew. We will give you all the support we can, even if it means we have to lie. Nothing too big that one brotha can’t ask of another. Hope you are out soon, keep ya pants on the down low.”
I wouldn’t bet against you being on target.
More black on white crime? Seems like the US is suffering from two few Zimmermans.
That would be too few Zimmermans.
Hey Chief!
The conversations between the teachers and the student ARE NOT PROTECTED COMMUNICATIONS!!!
We are all George Zimmerman.
I’m sure glad I don’t live in a non-CCW state.
And for what they did they get paid vaction time?
Like most blue Eastern states, New York likely has arcane wiretap laws that complicate things for the Chief. (here in PA I’m convinced they were enacted to protect the conversations of Democrat politicians with their Mafia bag men).
Let there be one, two, three, many Zimmermans!
They probably offered to alibi him or take revenge on witnesses
I guess we know where his loyalties are ...
So the teachers get paid vacation for this?
Great
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