Oct. 31 (UPI) — Two New York Police Department detectives took turns raping a teenage woman they apprehended for possessing marijuana, prosecutors said Monday.
Brooklyn detectives Edward Martins and Richard Hall were charged with rape, kidnapping and official misconduct. Both surrendered Monday and pleaded not guilty before being released on bail, the New York Times reported.
The incident occurred on Sept. 15 when Martin and Hall were working an anti-narcotics detail in south Brooklyn. Prosecutors said they pulled over an Infinity coupe with three people inside, including the 18-year-old victim, who admitted to having a small amount of marijuana and two Klonopin pills, reported DNA Info.
Martin and Hall placed the woman in handcuffs and took her into their unmarked NYPD van. They then allegedly told the woman they were “freaks” and that they wouldn’t arrest her if she had sex with them. The men allegedly proceeded to take turns raping the woman, who was still handcuffed, weeping and asking them to stop, prosecutors said. They then gave the woman back her pills, told her “keep your mouth shut” and let her out of the van miles from where they apprehended her.
Attorneys for Martin and Hall said the charges don’t make sense because they include forcible rape, as well as a “quid pro quo” transaction.
“Pick one, you can’t have both,” said Mark Bederow, an attorney for Martin.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez dismissed the idea that there’s a contradiction in the charges.
“It is shocking and unfortunate that they would blame a teenager for the acts of their clients,” Gonzalez said. “To think that these are grown men in a position of power over an 18-year-old, and for them to blame her, is ridiculous and demeaning. To my mind it speaks to desperation.”
