Florida Narcotics Chief Indicted
Police Officers Face Reckless Manslaughter Charge
The Bloomfield Four: (clockwise from top left) Officers Gerald Filippone, Frank Furfaro, Richard Chiarello, and Vincent DeFabrizio
On April 16, 2002, a 911 call was placed from Quick Cut, Inc., a garment factory in Bloomfield, New Jersey, reporting that an employee was having an epileptic seizure. Two police officers serving as emergency medical technicians and two other officers arrived to find Santiago Villanueva flailing about uncontrollably, repeatedly hitting his head and shoulders on the cement floor. The combative 250-pound, six-foot native of the Dominican Republic was being held down by two fellow employees.
Villanueva, 35, was in the factory working area within inches of machine equipment that had blades and sharp cutting edges. He was covered not only in perspiration but vomit, urine, and feces. In order to protect the man from hurting himself, the four officers subdued and handcuffed him. At this point he appeared to stop breathing so they immediately administered oxygen, placed him on a cot, and transported him in a fully-equipped ambulance to Columbus Hospital in Newark.
His heart rate upon arrival at the hospital was 138. Tragically, Villanueva died 47 minutes later as he was being treated in the emergency room.
In normal times, this would be the end of the story, but the county coroner classified his death as a homicide caused by “mechanical asphyxiation,” which is defined as pressure on the body that impairs breathing.
This caused an uproar in the community. Because Villanueva was black, wore dreadlocks, and spoke only Spanish, the media and protest groups claimed that the white officers harmed him deliberately. They even have alleged that racial profiling was the reason the officers used force to subdue him.
Protests for and against the police were held outside the Bloomfield Police Department. The Chief of Police, Jack McNiff, and the black and Hispanic police associations have fully supported the actions of the officers. Lawrence Monaco, a career Essex County assistant prosecutor who initially headed the investigation, concluded that a crime was not committed. However, the Speaker of the New Jersey Assembly, Albio Spires, called for the State Attorney General to conduct an investigation.
In the meantime, Mrs. Lisa Ann Villanueva, wife of the employee, filed a $50-million civil law suit against Bloomfield Township Police Department for failing “to render reasonable and appropriate care.” On April 16, 2003, one year after the incident, the four policemen involved were indicted for reckless man-slaughter. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.
Those charged, whom we call “The Bloomfield Four,” are Officers Gerald Filippone, 32, and Frank Furfaro, 37, trained emergency medical technicians who arrived at the factory in an ambulance; and Officers Vincent DeFabrizio, 44, and Richard Chiarello, 43, who arrived in separate police cars.
“All four of these men went there to help Mr. Villanueva and now, unfortunately, they find themselves in a criminal court for what they did,” said Anthony Iacullo, the attorney for Officer Filippone. The attorney for Officer DeFabrizio cautioned that Mr. Villanueva’s death should not be viewed in racial terms.
LELDF agrees and is making this case a priority. We plan to contribute funds for legal costs and expert witnesses. The case will go to trial in 2004.
