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NYC Councilman Accused Of Assaulting Girlfriend

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Dec 19, 2008 7:35 pm US/Eastern

NYC Councilman Accused Of Assaulting Girlfriend

Incoming State Sen. Hiram Monserrate Of Queens Charged With Assault, Harassment

Reporting
Pablo Guzman
NEW YORK (CBS) ― Queens City Councilman Hiram Monserrate (D-Queens) was picked up by detectives early Friday morning and brought to the 105th Precinct to answer questions regarding a dispute with his girlfriend that apparently spun so out of control, she was sent to the hospital where she received several stitches.

Investigators would wind up arresting Monserrate and charging him with assault, criminal possession of a weapon, and harrassment.

The arreset comes a day after a celebration of his new position in the state senate. Police say Monserrate's girlfriend told them he hit her in the face with a bottle at his apartment. The pieces of glass cut her face and required at least 20 stitches and also may have damaged her left eye.

It was the hospital which notified police, and now detectives are trying to piece together what happened. The Queens DA's office says that Monserrate himself brought his girlfriend to Long Island Jewish Hospital, where she was treated and released.

Monserrate then went voluntarily with police to the 105th precinct.

This is doubly embarrassing for the councilman: he won election as a "law and order" breed of politician, who made much of the fact that he is a former police officer. And lately, he has become an ally of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who endorsed his re-election bid.

Small businessmen in Willets Point opposed to the way the mayor is clearing out the area for redevelopment and accused Monserrate of selling them out in exchange for Bloomberg's support.

Monserrate is a former city police officer and a founding member of the Latino Officers Association. The Queens Democrat was elected to City Council in 2001 and was elected last month to the state Senate. Colleagues praised Monserrate at his ceremony on Thursday, his last official City Council meeting.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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