Unlicensed driver charge against Burke dismissed at DA’s request

Sep 24, 2013 News

…cops under probe

A Brooklyn judge on Friday dismissed a criminal summons issued to President of the New York-based Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID), Rickford Burke, for allegedly driving with a suspended license in Brooklyn on January 15, 2013.
When the case was called on September 20, prosecutors representing Kings County District Attorney (DA) Charles Hynes told Brooklyn Criminal Court Judge Geraldine Pickett, “The People are seeking to dismiss this case in the interest of justice.” Pickett then immediately tossed out the case.
Burke’s Attorney, Mark Pollard, in January told the court that Burke is the victim of identity theft, and that he was unaware that his license was suspended, as the violations which brought about the suspension were committed by unknown individuals driving in his name.
He said Burke cannot be held liable. Prosecutors then asked Judge Sharon Hudson to adjourn the case to allow them to investigate the matter further.
Burke has been the victim of identity theft since 1999, when his wallet and identification documents were stolen in a robbery incident. During the ordeal he was also shot and injured. The perpetrator, who attempted to steal Burke’s vehicle, was convicted and sentenced to ten years in prison.
Since then several credit cards were fraudulently opened in Burke’s name and unknown individuals racked up numerous violations while driving under his name, causing the suspension unbeknownst to him.
Officers from NYPD’s Brooklyn North Task Force approached Burke on the night of January 15, 2013 after he exited his parked Range Rover. They ran his information in their computer and informed him that his license was suspended. He was later taken to Brooklyn’s 75th Precinct and issued a criminal summons for “unlicensed driver.”
An eight-month investigation by the DA’s office confirmed that an individual was convicted in 2000 for attempting to steal Burke’s vehicle, stealing his wallet and identification documents, armed robbery and causing psychical injury with a firearm. The investigation also verified that Burke, over a number of years, made several police reports about someone using his identity.
Prosecutors also substantiated that the violations on Burke’s driving record were indeed a result of identity theft.
Pollard in a statement Friday said, “I thank the district attorney’s office for having the wisdom and judgment to dismiss the charge against Mr. Burke who clearly was the victim of years of identity theft.” For his part, Burke said that he was always confident that the case would be dismissed.
“I’m a law abiding citizen. I never received a moving violation in nineteen years of living in the US. Now that the case and investigations are complete, I will ask the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to accelerate the process to sanitize my record.”
In a turn of events, the officers involved in the matter are themselves now facing criminal investigation. Burke had accused the officers of misconduct. He maintained that he was not driving at the time and therefore should not have been charged.
The officers also allegedly tampered with evidence. New York’s Civilian Complaints Review Board, which probes police misconduct, investigating, Burke’s complaint against the officers last month referred that matter to NYPD’s Internal Affairs for criminal investigation.
Burke slapped a $120 million defamation lawsuit against several Guyanese state and private media houses aligned with Guyana’s People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government, as well as Kwame McCoy – public relations liaison to Guyana’s President Donald Ramotar. The defendants fabricated and published or broadcast a false, slanderous story claiming that Burke was arrested for stealing someone’s identity to purchase his Range Rover.
The State-owned Chronicle newspaper and NCN Television apologized and retracted the false story after Burke launched his legal onslaught, which is being prosecuted by Attorney at Law Nigel Hughes, who rejected the apologies and proceeded with the lawsuits. The case is currently being heard in Guyana’s Supreme Court.
Burke, in a statement Friday, ripped the Guyana Chronicle claiming that the editors of the State-owned newspaper “are cesspool political operatives who were not interested in reporting the truth but intended to engage in malicious slander to defame and sully his good name.
He noted that “although the Chronicle claims to have apologized and retracted this false story, it has, from January 30, 2013 to now, continuously publish this said false article on its website guyanachronicleonline.com, in open contempt and defiance of the instructions from my Attorney, Mr. Nigel Hughes.
This has caused irreparable harm to my character and professional reputation. I have lost important consultation contracts as a result. Consequently I have directed my Attorney to seek substantial compensation for each day that this false, slanderous article has been published.”