Former NYS Trooper Thomas Mascia in custody exterior New York State Police Troop L Headquarters in Farmingdale, New York, on January 27, 2025. | Supply: Newsday LLC / Getty
If I’ve stated it a thousand occasions earlier than, I haven’t stated it sufficient: There may be by no means a cause to take a cop’s phrase at face worth. Whether or not we’re speaking about officers accused of misconduct or police brutality or corrupt cops who cover their felony exercise behind their badges, law enforcement officials have the identical incentive to lie that civilians have — however civilians aren’t backed by a whole justice system conditioned to provide us the advantage of the doubt.
Plenty of cops lie and plenty of mendacity cops are racist, and, apparently, if they will’t discover a Black civilian to pin against the law on, they’ll invent one.
Meet New York State Trooper Thomas Mascia.
Final October, Mascia, 27, reported that he was shot within the line of obligation by a “Black or dark-skinned Hispanic male,” in keeping with a police report. On Monday, the Nassau County District Legal professional’s Workplace instructed ABC Information that Mascia surrendered himself to police and stands accused of staging the capturing and conjuring an imaginary Black man responsible for it.
New York State trooper Thomas Mascia will get a kiss from his father, Thomas, as he leaves in a wheelchair from Nassau College Medical Heart in East Meadow, New York, on Nov. 1, 2024. | Supply: Newsday LLC / Getty
“He knew the worry that it might create, and he did it anyway,” Nassau County DA Anne Donnelly stated throughout a press convention Monday, calling Mascia’s alleged actions “unconscionable.” Donnelly stated Mascia might face one to 3 years in jail if convicted on fees of official misconduct, falsely reporting against the law and tampering with proof.
From ABC:
Police matched the gun used within the capturing to 1 owned by Mascia, officers unhappy. It was not his service weapon, officers stated. There was additionally “near $800,000” discovered on the household’s residence, Donnelly stated.
All three had been launched on their very own recognizance Monday.
Mascia was on obligation Oct. 30 in Hempstead when he “initiated a radio transmission for photographs fired,” in keeping with a felony criticism obtained by ABC Information.
He then “claimed he was shot by the driving force of a black Dodger Charger described as both a Black or dark-skinned Hispanic male.”
The criticism alleges Mascia truly “staged the scene of the capturing,” inserting shell casings on the bottom hours earlier.
He then allegedly “shot himself within the leg in one other location earlier than returning to the staged location” on the Southern State Parkway.
State police quickly shut down the part of the parkway the place Mascia claimed the incident occurred “in an effort to find the non-existent shooters, inflicting alarm and inconvenience to the general public,” the criticism states.
Right here’s a query: What if law enforcement officials looking for “non-existent shooters” described as Black and male had shot and killed a Black man they believed was a suspect? Would Mascia have been charged within the killing? I ask as a result of there have been quite a lot of tales involving accused criminals being charged with homicide as a result of a cop shot an harmless bystander whereas making an attempt to get to their suspect. So, does that very same logic apply to a cop whose lie put a Black man in peril he wouldn’t have been in in any other case? Would Mascia nonetheless solely be one to 3 years? (Trace: These are principally rhetorical questions.)
The criticism accuses Mascia of staging the capturing “for the advantage of gaining consideration or sympathy for himself,” nevertheless it’s controversial that what he actually seemed to be doing by capturing himself (allegedly) is trying to cowl up against the law he dedicated. It is going to be attention-grabbing to get an replace on what was happening with that “near $800,000” officers present in Marcia’s household residence.
Talking of his household, if Mascia is a corrupt cop, he’s an apple that didn’t fall removed from his tree.
Extra from ABC:
Mascia’s dad and mom, Dorothy and Thomas, additionally surrendered to police on Monday on fees of felony possession of a firearm, the district legal professional’s workplace stated. The firearm was not the identical one used within the capturing, however Mascia’s father is a convicted felon, making it unlawful for him to personal a gun, Donnelly stated.
Mascia’s father, a former New York Police Division officer, was dismissed from the drive in 1993 over accusations of operating a cocaine ring, in keeping with the New York Occasions.
Be secure on the market, people. Don’t take cops at face worth and don’t assume they’re all there in your safety.
SEE ALSO:
Mom Who Lied That Black Males Kidnapped Her Son Is Charged With His Homicide
Lady Instructed A Racist Lie That She Was Attacked With Acid By A Black Lady
