Embattled Democratic mayor of Rochester indicted on weapons, child endangerment charges



Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren and her husband, Timothy Granison, have been indicted on new charges related to firearms and child endangerment. The new charges stem from a police raid at their home in May, when Granison was arrested on three charges related to drugs and firearms.

The Monroe County District Attorney's Office announced that Warren and Granison were each hit with charges of criminal possession of a firearm, a Class E felony; two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor; and two counts of failure to secure firearms, a misdemeanor.

The home was searched by New York state police on May 19 in relation to Granison's suspected criminal activity. Police found a rifle and pistol inside the home, where the couple's 10-year-old daughter was left alone, according to District Attorney Sandra Doorley.

Warren's husband was charged with being part of a cocaine distribution ring in Rochester. Granison is accused in a federal complaint of receiving bulk quantities of cocaine from a co-defendant and then distributing it to other alleged traffickers, according to the Associated Press. Warren is not implicated in the alleged drug trafficking ring.

Granison, 42, pleaded not guilty to drug and weapons charges last month. Regarding the new charges, Granison's attorney, John DeMarco, said, "We will enter a plea of not guilty."

"The district attorney's office, hopefully, will provide us all of the investigatory reports, search warrants, photographs, everything that the police put together for their office to present the case and will evaluate what our strategy at that time," DeMarco said.

Warren previously denied knowledge about her husband's alleged criminal activities, and said she and Granison had been separated and estranged for years despite living in the same home in Woodman Park.

Warren and her husband are to be arraigned before a Cayuga County judge in Monroe County.

Coincidentally, Warren announced a gun buy-back program for the city of Rochester in May.

"Getting guns off our streets must be our priority," Warren said in a statement. "We must continue working together with our citizens to take these guns off our streets so our residents can feel safe in their neighborhoods and live the lives they deserve."

Warren, who is a Democrat, faces her own legal issues after she was indicted on two felony campaign finance charges in October. The grand jury indictment relates to Warren's 2017 mayoral re-election campaign. One felony charge is for first-degree scheme to defraud. The other felony charge is an election law offense for illegally coordinating activities and expenditures. Warren admits to errors in reporting campaign contributions, but claims they were honest mistakes.

Warren was defeated last month by Malik Evans in the Democratic primary for Rochester mayor. Warren's second mayoral term is set to expire at the end of this year.

Democratic mayor of Rochester indicted on felony campaign finance charges



Democratic Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren has been indicted on two felony campaign finance charges, Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley announced on Friday. The grand jury indictment stems from Warren's 2017 mayoral re-election campaign.

One felony charge is for first-degree scheme to defraud. The other charge is an election law offense for illegally coordinating activities and expenditures. Under New York's rule, political action committees and committees are forbidden from coordinating.

The investigation by the New York State Board of Elections claims that the Warren for a Stronger Rochester PAC transferred $30,000 from the group to Warren's committee, Friends of Lovely Warren, according to 2017 expenditure reports obtained by Rochester First.

Warren has firmly denied any wrongdoing, and called the investigation a "political witch hunt." She claims the funds were errantly deposited in the PAC account.

Warren's attorney, Joseph Damelio, said the length of time between the accusations and the investigation that led to the indictments shows the flimsiness of the criminal case.

If convicted of the Class E felony charges, Warren would be removed from office under state law. The maximum sentence would range from 16 months to four years in prison.

"While Warren would be unlikely to be incarcerated, her pension could be forfeited if the matter is determined to be a crime related to public office, and she also could lose her law license," USA Today reported.

Warren has not been arrested but will be processed, according to Doorley.

"This could be a long process and we anticipate that there could be challenges along the way so I don't think this will be anything resolved quickly," Doorley said during a news briefing.

Warren's campaign treasurer, Albert Jones Jr., and the treasurer of her political action committee, Rosalind Brooks-Harris, have also been indicted in the case. Brooks-Harris is also Rochester's finance director.

Warren and her two campaign associates will be arraigned at 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5, in front of Cayuga County Judge Thomas Leone in Monroe County.

The Rochester mayor has been scrutinized over her handling of the death of Daniel Prude, who died while in the custody of Rochester police. The 41-year-old Prude died after police put a spit hood on his head during his arrest in March. He was completely nude during his arrest. The death sparked protests and riots in the city, where agitators targeted outside diners and residential homes.

In September, the entire Rochester Police Department command staff resigned.

Rochester mayor says 7 cops have been suspended in the wake of asphyxiation death of Daniel Prude



Rochester, New York, Mayor Lovely Warren said that seven police officers were suspended in the wake of the asphyxiation death of Daniel Prude while in police custody. She also said that she had requested body cam video from the police department of the incident.

Prude's death was the latest incident of a black man dying in police custody that sparked outrage and protest.

"Mr. Daniel Prude was failed by our police department, our mental health care system, our society, and he was failed by me," said Warren. "I'm filled with grief, and anger at myself for all the failures that lead to his death."

Police were called by Prude's brother in March because the man was suffering from a mental episode. They arrived to find the man naked and attempting to break into a vehicle. They apprehended him and placed him in a spit hood because he had reportedly told them that he had contracted coronavirus.

Video of the altercation from police body cameras were released on Wednesday.

In the video, police push Prude to the ground as he becomes more agitated. They take a knee to his back, and press his face into the ground to subdue him, but he loses consciousness.

He was taken by paramedics to a hospital where he was declared brain dead, placed on life support, and died 7 days later.

The Monroe County medical examiner's office found that Prude died from "complications of asphyxia in the setting of physical restraint," and noted acute PCP intoxication and "excited delirium" as contributing factors.

The videos were released after the family filed a freedom of information act request, and they have called for the officers to charged with murder.

Mayor Warren said that the death of Prude was caused by racism.

"Institutional and structural racism led to Daniel Prude's death. I won't deny it, I stand before it, and I call for justice upon it," she said.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo released a statement in support of the investigation and denounced the death of Daniel Prude. "What I saw was deeply disturbing and I demand answers," said Cuomo.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Here's the video of Prude's lethal interaction with police:

Daniel Prude Death: Body Cam Video Shows Rochester Police Arrest | NBC New Yorkwww.youtube.com