6238: Convicted NY Officer Files Appeal (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: nozier <nozier@tradewind.net>

 Convicted NY Officer Files Appeal
  The Associated Press, Fri 15 Dec 2000

NEW YORK (AP) — A former police officer convicted in the 1997 attack on
Haitian immigrant Abner  Louima has filed an appeal, accusing
prosecutors of intimidating and coaching witnesses. Charles Schwarz was
sentenced in June to 15 years in prison for holding down Louima as
another officer  sodomized him with a broken broomstick in a precinct
bathroom, and for conspiring to cover up the   attack.  The 177-page
brief argues that Schwarz's conviction should be overturned because
federal prosecutors  had intimidated and cajoled witnesses.   The appeal
also claims Schwarz's attorney in both trials had a conflict of interest
because he also represented the police union, thereby hindering him from
deflecting blame to another officer Appeals were also filed Wednesday on
behalf of two other officers, Thomas Wiese and Thomas Bruder,
who were convicted of conspiring to cover up the attack.   Justin Volpe,
who pleaded guilty to carrying out the attack on Louima, is serving 30
years.