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Bodega Guy Busted For Selling Booze To A Minor Has Video To Prove His Innocence
By
Garth Johnston
Published Apr 25, 2012
Modified Apr 25, 2012
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By
Garth Johnston
Published Apr 25, 2012
Modified Apr 25, 2012
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Earlier this month a Brooklyn bodega worker was arrested and pleaded guilty to selling booze to a minor. Funny thing is, he didn't do it. And now he wants the city to vacate his plea and apologize. See, on April 12th an 18-year-old auxiliary cop tried to buy a Smirnoff Ice from worker Ismael Duran at the Giselle Mini Mart in Brownsville. But Duran turned the teen down. Only then a 51-year-old customer bought the booze for the kid—and cops arrested both men.
After spending a night locked up and under advice of his then-attorney, Duran pleaded guilty and paid a $120 fine. But then the father of three, who immigrated from the Dominican Republic three years ago, realized the store's surveillance video would show he had done the right thing. "I did everything right," he told the Daily News. "I asked for the ID. I told him no."
Now the Bodega Association of the United States (yup, it exists) is pushing for the Brooklyn DA to vacate the plea. Fernando Mateo, a spokesman for the group, told CBS that "It’s shameful to see that the NYPD is sending their police officers to make arrests when arrests are not warranted...This is not only a violation of his civil rights, this is abuse of power. It’s illegal, it’s unethical."
The police, for their part, argue that Duran totally witnessed the auxiliary cop and customer Stanfiel Collymore, who actually bought the booze, come to an agreement in the store. Duran says he was busy with customers at the time and saw no such thing. He is due back in court on May 21 and sources inside the DA's office say there is a good chance the charges will be dropped. It is difficult to argue with video:
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Garth Johnston
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