Bronx prosecutors under fire for posing with gang signs in holiday photo

NY Daily News – by ERIK BADIA , ROCCO PARASCANDOLA , LARRY MCSHANE

These Bronx prosecutors are going to be on Santa’s naughty list.

A group of assistant district attorneys landed in a holiday hullabaloo Thursday after a year-old photo surfaced with the gang of eight flashing hand signals from the Bloods, the Crips and the Trinitarios.

“We’re outraged because they think it’s a joke,” said one defense attorney after the photo, with a green and silver garland as its backdrop, reappeared this week. “You can’t have it both ways.”  

The sentiment was widely shared throughout the defense bar in a borough where about 30% of street violence is blamed on local gangs.

“Every single one of those DAs is a good guy,” said another defense lawyer. “But it’s kind of a jerky photo. It’s a stupid photo because these are representatives of the government, and the gang problem is a very serious problem.”

Terry Raskyn, spokeswoman for the Bronx district attorney’s office, said the picture was never intended to go public.

“It’s silly stuff,” she said Thursday. “From what I understand, the signs aren’t even real.”

A defense attorney disputed that claim, saying the signs were lifted from three local gangs.

Either way, Raskyn said, nobody was disciplined for the photo.

“No harm was meant,” she said.

Tina Luongo, the attorney in charge of criminal practice for Bronx legal aid, had no issue with the district attorney handling things.

“We agree with the general assessment that the picture is inappropriate,” she said.

A fellow assistant district attorney offered a sarcastic smile and little more after confirming he had seen the shot of his colleagues.

“I have nothing to say about that photo,” he said.

rparascandola@nydailynews.com

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bronx/bronx-prosecutors-posed-gang-signs-holiday-photo-article-1.2018655?cid=bitly