An ex-second deputy Nassau County police commissioner was convicted on Valentine’s Day of official misconduct for his role in covering up his friend’s son’s burglary four years ago.
William Flanagan stood stoic with his chin up as the jury foreman read the partial verdict of guilty on two misdemeanor counts of official misconduct at about 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
Judge Mark Cohen ordered the jurors to continue deliberating until 9 p.m., when they were recessed until Friday morning. They’ll then continue deliberating on two remaining charges: Sixth-degree conspiracy, a misdemeanor, and receiving reward for official misconduct, a felony.
“This fight is far from over,” Bruce Barket, attorney for the 55-year-old police veteran, told reporters outside the courtroom in Mineola as he vowed to appeal the ruling.
District Attorney Kathleen Rice’s office “will have no comment until the trial is over and the jury has been released,” her spokesman said in a statement.
Prosecutors alleged that Flanagan helped return electronics stolen from John F. Kennedy High School in Bellmore by Zachary Parker, the son of wealthy police nonprofit donor Gary Parker, who testified during the four-week-long trial that he asked for Flanagan’s help because Parker believed returning the equipment meant the charges against his son would be dropped.
Parker gave Flanagan three $100 gift cards to Morton’s Steak House shortly after the property was returned. Zachary was not charged with the May 2009 thefts until prosecutors began investigating the coverup after it was uncovered by a 2011 Press expose.
Two other former Nassau police supervisors, ex-Deputy Chief of Patrol John Hunter and retired Det. Sgt. Alan Sharpe, pleaded not guilty to misconduct and conspiracy charges along with Flanagan following their indictments in March 2012.
The other two ex-cops are expected to be tried separately. Zachary Parker is serving prison time for the burglary and other charges.
Flanagan faces four years in prison for the receiving reward for official misconduct charge, if convicted of that count. He faces up to a year in jail for the misconduct convictions.
“I know that you’ve had a very long day,” Judge Cohen told the jury before releasing them for the evening. “Perhaps a good night’s sleep will allow… for a resolution.”
