Nassau Police Department fires Officer Anthony DiLeonardo; shot unarmed cabbie in 2011

The Nassau County Police Department confirms it has fired Officer Anthony DiLeonardo, the officer who shot an unarmed cab driver in 2011 after a night of drinking. DiLeonardo admitted to Suffolk investigators

News 12 Staff

May 6, 2014, 9:12 PM

Updated 3,664 days ago

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Nassau Police Department fires Officer Anthony DiLeonardo; shot unarmed cabbie in 2011
The Nassau County Police Department confirms it has fired Officer Anthony DiLeonardo, the officer who shot an unarmed cab driver in 2011 after a night of drinking.
DiLeonardo admitted to Suffolk investigators that he drank before shooting unarmed cabbie Thomas Moroughan in Huntington Station in 2011.
Moroughan was shot in the arm and chest, but survived.
The police commissioner says DiLeonardo has been terminated effective immediately, but he did not provide the reason for the firing.
"The egregious conduct and breach of public trust by former Police Officer Anthony DiLeonardo will not be tolerated by the Nassau County Police Department," said acting Police Commissioner Thomas C. Krumpter.
Moroughan did not comment. His attorney said, "Tom was pistol-whipped, shot and falsely arrested. The only thing surprising about his assailant's termination is how long it took to happen."
DiLeonardo's attorney Bruce Barkett said they were disappointed with the actions of the Nassau County Police Department.
Barkett maintains DiLeonardo did nothing wrong and this was simply an act of self-defense in a road rage dispute.
He says no criminal charges were ever brought against DiLeonardo or fellow officer Edward Bienz who was also at the scene. Barkett says the report was prepared by a detective who never investigated a police shooting and that the department hearing on the matter was a sham.
The cab driver is currently suing the department for $30 million as a result of the shooting.
 


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