Pubdate: Sun, 03 Dec 2006
Source: New York Post (NY)
Copyright: 2006 N.Y.P. Holdings, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.nypost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/296
Author: Brad Hamilton

'GAY' SMEAR $MACK

Jury Hits NYPD

A Manhattan jury has socked the  NYPD for $1.5 million, ruling the 
top transit cop  refused to give a coveted job to a respected 
sergeant because he assumed the man was gay - then wrecked 
the  careers of two supervisors who supported the sergeant.

The Nov. 22 verdict in Manhattan Supreme Court came  after James 
Hall, a two-star assistant chief and one of  the NYPD's 
highest-ranking members, rejected Sgt.  Robert Sorrenti for a 
position with the youth-services  section.

The section runs the Police Athletic League, the  anti-drug effort 
DARE and other programs for kids.

Hall asked Sorrenti inappropriate questions about his  marital 
status, and how he spent his free time, then  claimed to have learned 
some "f-ed-up s-" about  Sorrenti that ruled him out for working with 
kids, the  sergeant and supervisors claimed in separate suits.

Sorrenti applied in 2001 to run the DARE program on  Staten Island 
and was preferred by the youth-services  commander, Capt. Lori Albunio.

Hall picked another candidate because he thought  Sorrenti was 
homosexual, the jury found.

Hall told the supervisors "something's not right about"  Sorrenti, 
adding that despite the sergeant's exemplary  record, "I won't be 
able to sleep at night knowing  [he's] going to be around kids," the 
suits stated.

The jury found Hall retaliated against Albunio, 42,  stripping her of 
her command without cause, and he  harassed her and the unit's 
operations lieutenant, Tom  Connors, until they left the NYPD. 
Albunio and Connors,  both 18-year veterans with several 
commendations, told The Post they believed Hall was blatantly biased 
and  took revenge on them for sticking up for Sorrenti.

"To encounter a man like this - it was incredible,"  said Connors, 
42. "And to see how the Police Department  protected him and promoted 
him was devastating."

Albunio said, "Sorrenti was an excellent candidate -  professional, 
sincere, honest. He'd been with a  precinct and highway patrol. He 
was a veteran of Desert  Storm."

"I told Hall he was making a mistake," she said.

Connors told Hall the same, he said. "I said [Sorrenti]  is more than 
qualified," Connors said.

Albunio was bumped down to the No. 2 job at Transit  District 1. 
Connors was transferred to a pencil-pushing  position.

She retired in July 2005. He quit six months later.

"The Police Department's defense was to diminish my  clients," said 
their lawyer, Mary Dorman.

The supervisors and Sorrenti are due to get about  $500,000 each.

The city is appealing.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine