Thomas Keefe Allegedly Aided His Son Twice During Traffic Stops By Albany Police ALBANY -- A City Court judge is being investigated by the state Commission on Judicial Conduct over allegations he twice intervened when police stopped his son, including once when the youth had marijuana and drug paraphernalia, according to sources with knowledge of the probe. Investigators with the watchdog panel that oversees judges are looking into claims Albany City Court Judge Thomas Keefe persuaded Albany police to allow him to take his son from two traffic stops without formal charges. He also is alleged to have left with some evidence. [continues 478 words]
Judge tosses indictment of city man, saying cop didn't have just cause ALBANY -- Albany County Judge Thomas A. Breslin dismissed a gun and drug possession case on Wednesday, ruling that a city police officer stopped and searched a man in February without just cause. Rayquinshawn Harrison allegedly had a loaded 9 mm semiautomatic handgun and 38 packets of marijuana in his overcoat. "It wasn't even a close call," said his attorney, Cheryl F. Coleman. "I know police think they have to hold the line ... but if this search had been upheld, it would have been open season on anybody walking the streets of Arbor Hill." [continues 386 words]
Albany County District Attorney Slams Jennings, Top Cops In Crime Fight ALBANY -- A "political fiefdom" of Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings, the city police chief and the county sheriff must end for law enforcement to improve, District Attorney David Soares said. In a stinging answer Thursday to local criticism of his stance on the U.S. war on drugs, the first-term prosecutor said Jennings should focus on city redevelopment and stay out of the operation of the police department. "He has been running that department," Soares said of Jennings, noting the mayor has gone through four police chiefs in the past two years. "It's time to remove the politics." [continues 898 words]
David Soares Says Mayor And Police Officials Have Been Working Against Him ALBANY -- District Attorney David Soares declared war today on top Albany County law officials he said have worked privately against him since the day he took office. The county prosecutor blasted the "law enforcement fiefdom" of Mayor Jerry Jennings, Police Chief James Tuffey, Albany County Sheriff James Campbell in responding today to sharp local criticism of a speech he gave Tuesday in Vancouver, British Columbia, in which Soares urged Canadian officials to steer clear of America's failed drug policies, . [continues 243 words]
Vancouver Speech By David Soares Draws Rebuke From Police Chief, Sheriff ALBANY -- A speech by Albany County District Attorney David Soares in Canada attacking U.S. drug policies has drawn criticism from top county law enforcement officials. U.S. lawmakers, judges and prosecutors know the system doesn't work well, "but they support it anyway because it provides law enforcement officials with lucrative jobs," Soares said Tuesday in a speech at the 17th International Conference on the Reduction of Drug-Related Harm in Vancouver. [continues 454 words]
Albany Landlords Get Help In Ousting Problem Tenants ALBANY -- A trio of Park South crack houses were the backdrop Tuesday for a new neighborhood safety initiative that city and county officials hope will drive drug dealers from the community. As he unveiled the Safe Homes -- Safe Streets program in front of 12 Dana Ave., District Attorney David Soares waved a 6-inch stack of police printouts detailing more than 500 calls for assistance to that boarded-up building -- and to its neighbors at 14 and 16 Dana Ave. -- over the past five years. [continues 467 words]
Suspect Describes In Police Statement Killing Andrew Van Wie, 19, In Disagreement Over Pot ALBANY -- Marty Higgins told police he was just trying to keep his drug dealer honest on May 13 when he accidentally shot him five times in the head with a .22-caliber rifle. He said he liked doing business with Andrew Van Wie because, like a pizza shop, he delivered. But the 19-year-old Hudson Valley Community College student had a habit of shorting his marijuana orders while at the same time jacking up the price, Higgins claimed in the statement taken by city Detective Michael Kelly. [continues 332 words]
DA Says He Was Suggesting Way To Channel Youths' Skills, Not Legitimize Drug Trade ALBANY -- Albany County District Attorney David Soares is under fire for public comments he made about a plan to deter young people from the drug trade by setting them up in legitimate businesses. Soares, 35, was leaving an event to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 17 when he made some remarks to a WGY radio reporter. Since then, his words have been aired as many as five times a day amid declarations he wants to set up drug dealers in vacant storefronts along Clinton Avenue. [continues 267 words]
Democrats in Races for Albany County DA, State Senator Have Strong Support, Survey Shows ALBANY -- A political newcomer waging an ardent grass-roots campaign on Rockefeller Drug Laws reform is comfortably leading in the three-way battle for Albany County district attorney, according to an independent Times Union/News Channel 13 poll. However, almost a third of those polled said they are still undecided nine days before the election. Of the 622 residents questioned by the Siena Research Institute between Oct. 19-21, 38 percent said they planned to vote for David Soares, 34, who seized the Democratic Party line from incumbent District Attorney Paul Clyne in a dramatic Sept. 14 primary election. [continues 648 words]
Rival's Primary Win Against Former Boss Sends Shock Waves Through Democratic Leadership A young political newcomer delivered a stunning upset to Albany's Democratic establishment Tuesday as unofficial results showed that David Soares easily defeated incumbent Paul Clyne for the nomination for district attorney. With almost all precincts reporting, Soares had 14,030 votes to Clyne's 8,684. If elected in November, Soares would be the first African-American district attorney in Albany County. Soares and his supporters called his win a final blow to the once-vaunted Albany Democratic machine. [continues 1234 words]
