Suffolk County Police today arrested a Manorville man, who is a police officer, for allegedly harassing and intentionally damaging a man’s vehicle in Manorville due to the man’s race.
A subcontractor for a cellular company was working in a GMC Terrain at the corner of Sylvan Court and Weeks Avenue on November 3rd, 2024 at 7 p.m. when he was approached by a man who questioned what the subcontractor was doing in the area.
The man, who identified himself as a law enforcement officer, refused to look at the worker’s credentials according to the Suffolk County Police Department.
Police and prosecutors claim the police officer then kicked the GMC, causing damage, ripped off the light affixed to the top of the vehicle, and threw it at the worker, who is Black, while using a racial slur.
Following an investigation by Hate Crimes Unit detectives, John Murphy, 40, of Manorville, who is a Rockville Centre Police Department detective, was charged with two counts of Criminal Mischief 4th Degree as a Hate Crime, a felony, and Aggravated Harassment 2nd Degree, a misdemeanor.
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney thanked law enforcement for treating this case with professionalism, since "one of their own" was being accused of a crime.
“The victim here was just trying to do his job, when the defendant allegedly harassed him and damaged his vehicle. To make matters worse, the defendant is a sworn law enforcement officer, responsible for protecting the rights of citizens, rather than violating them, as is alleged here. I thank the Suffolk County Police Department’s Hate Crimes Unit for taking this crime seriously and following the evidence no matter where it led. Such conduct will not be tolerated in Suffolk County," said Tierney.