Jan 18, 2008 8:14 am US/Eastern
Shock Audio: Cops Joke About Homeless Man's Death
Bedford Police Under Fire For Insensitivity To Plight Of Rene Perez
BEDFORD, N.Y. (CBS) ―
There was anger and pain Thursday for the family of a man allegedly left to die by a suburban police officer.
CBS 2 HD has obtained an audiotape of police joking about homeless immigrant Rene Perez on the night he died.
Perez's brother told CBS 2 HD he is outraged.
The calls obtained by CBS 2 HD were made by Bedford cops last April as they monitored the status of Perez on the night he was found dying on the side of a desolate road.
*Sgt. Dunn: "Bedford police, Sgt. Dunn."
*Officer: "You wanna hear something really funny?"
*Sgt. Dunn: "What's really funny?"
*Officer: "He's back."
*Sgt. Dunn: "He's alive?"
*Officer: "He's alive."
*Sgt. Dunn: "I thought they pronounced him."
*Officer: "They did (ha ha). They're in there seeing him off."
*Officer: "They're getting him all ready … and … and he's started … he's breathing again."
*Sgt. Dunn: "Holy ----."
*Officer: "They're in there and the dude's pickled man."
*Sgt. Dunn: "Unbelievable."
An hour later Perez was dead. Then there was another phone call.
*Sgt. Purdy: "Bedford police, Sgt. Purdy."
*Officer (singing): "Don't walk away Rene. … What's up?"
*Sgt. Purdy: "This Idol competition?"
Anival Perez told CBS 2 HD it was painful to hear cops joking about his brother.
"It's very unrespectful about the reaction by Bedford police listening and watching about my brother dying," Anival Perez said through a translator.
Some might view the joking about Rene Perez as "gallows" humor police sometimes use to lighten what can be depressing work.
Asked for comment, the Bedford police chief said, "We are not callous or indifferent. Beyond that I cannot comment on a pending case."
After a lengthy investigation led by the Bedford Police Department, Mount Kisco cop George Bubaris was charged with manslaughter, accused of injuring Perez then dumping him on a desolate road.
It's not clear if the tapes of the Bedford cops joking will in any way prove useful to Bubaris' defense team. The case is expected to come to trial by early April.
Every police officer in Bedford and Mount Kisco knew Rene Perez. They say he was an alcoholic and troublemaker who had hundreds of run-ins with both departments.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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