Drunk Police Officer Terrorizes Black Family
Officer Gets Black-Out Drunk
In September, New York police officer, Michael J. Reynolds, went to Nashville, Tennessee with several other officers, for a bachelor’s party. Reynolds proceeded to get so drunk that he later told investigators he had blacked out and could not remember the events of the night.
What did happen was seven of the officers were returning to the Airbnb that Reynolds had rented but accidentally went to the house next door. Reynolds, apparently realizing there were people in the house, kicked open the door and stormed down the hallway yelling, “This is my motherfucking house,” and repeatedly referring to them as n*ggers.
Terrified Family
Conese Halliburton was at home with her four sons, two of which stepped in front of her as Reynolds rushed toward her screaming his threats and insults. Halliburton’s sons kept ordering Reynolds to leave but he didn’t do so until Halliburton told him that she had called the police. Reynolds then turned to leave saying, “Try to shoot me, and I’ll break every fucking bone in your fucking neck. Fucking n*ggers.” Once Reynolds was outside, they heard a man ask, “Did you make her strip?”
Thin Blue Line
The police had been called and when they arrived Halliburton told them what happened and described the man that had broken into her house. When police couldn’t find him, Halliburton told them to try the Airbnb next door. She informed them that a group of men were staying there. The police did go next door to interview the men but Reynolds was not arrested. The next day, when Halliburton confronted Reynolds, the officers began laughing at her saying it was no big deal. Reynolds smiled and said he was sorry.
Halliburton was wise enough to have some of her neighbors as witnesses. One of them stated that Thomas Geberth said, “We are police from New York. You don’t need to make a big deal about it. We were just drinking.” And apparently a big deal wasn’t made about it with the police. It was a month later before it even made it on the news, at which time the media was told police were “still investigating.” Perhaps that was enough to make them do something. Reynolds was eventually identified and charged with one count of aggravated criminal trespass and three counts of assault.
Slap in the Face
Though Reynolds admitted he was so drunk he couldn’t remember anything but did acknowledge that the incident had happened (hard to deny since video and audio were caught on a neighbor’s Ring), Reynolds asked for judicial diversion so that he could get his job back. In other words, do a little community service, pay a little fine, and it all goes away. You stay with a clean record.
The man broke into a home, terrorized the family that was living there, used racial slurs and threatened to kill them, yet he felt he should be given a light slap on the wrist and it should all go away. I don’t know how much of this is white privilege and how much is officer privilege but whichever it is, it’s astounding. Just think what would have happened if it had been a black man doing this to a white family.
Judge’s Sentence
Judge Mark Fishburn didn’t buy into Reynolds’ claim of being sorry. The judge was under the opinion that Reynolds thought his status as an officer would guarantee him a clear path out of his mess. On December 6, Judge Fishburn sentenced Reynolds to 15 days of jail time and 3 years of probation. While that is, in my opinion, a ridiculously light sentence it does have the effect of costing Reynolds his Peace Officer’s certification.
Reynolds has been decommissioned but for some reason the NYPD continues to employee him.
You can read the full story at the Tennessean.com.