“Hey, let me show you my new gun!” That’s a phrase that, when heard from someone who smells like an Irish brewery, should invariably be answered in the negative. But Det. Matthew Sullivan was probably too drunk himself to fully realize that. The two had signed out of Brooklyn’s 75th precinct on a “robbery investigation” – wink, wink. Instead, they got some dinner and then went for a nightcap at a local watering hole. Once they close that down, they hopped into their unmarked cruiser. That’s when Det. Jay Poggi decided he just had to show his partner the bobbed hammer on his new Smith .38 . . .
And of course, as the ensuing events are relayed by the ink-stained wretches at nydailynews.com, that darned gun…just went off!
The gun suddenly discharged, sending a round into Sullivan’s right wrist, breaking a bone.
Poggi, 58, drove his wounded partner to Jamaica Hospital, where Sullivan, a 12-year veteran, underwent surgery. A police lieutenant called to the hospital noticed that Poggi — who had said he was the driver — had bloodshot eyes and boozy breath, according to a criminal complaint.
Poggi subsequently blew a .113 on the breath-ometer. Now Poggi, who’s described as being weeks away from retirement, has been arraigned on drunk driving charges while the Queens D.A. and the NYPD internal affairs boys investigate. There’s not telling how the whole mess will wash out (though the fact that Poggi was released without bail might be a hint), but you wouldn’t think the detective will be getting that gold watch he was probably expecting. So to try to fill the bling deficit in the Poggi household, we’ll be sending him some of our own special hardware to bring a little sparkle to his life.
“the gun suddenly discharged” … I think Bloomberg’s minions need to figure out where these unsafe guns are being made that just “suddenly discharge.”
Everytown for safety, you know.
The gun had to “suddenly discharge” because according to former royal mayor Bloomburg, all his police officers are “highly trained” and are the only people in NYC to be trusted with firearms. (HEAVY sarc)
Guns are safe, but only in the hands of trained professionals like the police. A police officer would never be responsible for something like this.
What’s that?…Both of them?…Never mind…
Don’t forget our folks in the military. They are the only other ones who should have access to firearms too. Because, you know, Ft. Hood.
“BAD GUN!!! BAD GUN!!! Shame on you! Keep your sudden discharges in your pants!”
In other news today, this NYPD Detective decided to call it a career. Exit stage left.
Hey ! ZIM!! What have you got against Irish breweries?
😀
Not a thing! I just think cops shouldn’t smell like one while they’re on duty.
At most, Poggi will get a conditional discharge on the DWI. If it was the cop’s first alcohol offense, he’ll probably plead out to a DWAI, which is a traffic offense, not a crime. He won’t even lose his drivers license if he goes into the diversion program.
As for the ND, well, it was an ND between “brother officers.”
Say you had a designated driver, you are out in the country, no cell service, your DD has an ND becomes injured and bleeding.
Are you supposed to let him bleed to death to avoid a DWI.
Is there any circumstanial law in this type of case. Lesser harm concept.
If Poggi was a passenger when he shot his compare and then switched seats because he thought that Sullivan was bleeding out, then maybe.
BTW, Poggi has a good lawyer. He’ll walk him out with minimum damage.
If asked after the fact, plead the 5th. During? I’d imagine the events leading up to that would sober you up pretty quick. Unless you are far too drunk to even register what’s happening, in which case you’re just going to get somebody killed.
If you’re robbing a bank could you just shoot your accomplice to get off the hook?
In a perfect world, a jury of peers would decide if there was intent, and in that perfect world, a prosecutor would make the decision to not bring it to trial if the jury would likely acquit if given the facts. Unfortunately, this is not a perfect world.
Yeah.. and while I’m not defending the level of intoxication for a police officer whose colleagues will happily bust normal working people for less, that’s only 5-6 beers for a bloke in the 80-100 kg range.
After a couple months of the criminal loving DeBlasio, a decent cop would have been drinking enough over that period alone that he’d only just be getting his buzz on.
Dude! You accidentally shot your partner with a DAO revolver?? How in god’s name… nevermind, I don’t even want to know.
I’m guessing thats a stock pic, but the DAO revolver in the photo is a Ruger, not a S&W.
Don
Pretty sure the little semi auto is an Autauga MK II
“The gun suddenly discharged,” I love how the libturd media always paints it that way, or the “the gun just went off!” BS. If this were two civilians the handgun would’ve magically transformed into an AR15 and one shot would turned into 3, and then they would’ve drunk drove to the hospital while firing “high powered armor piercing explosive rounds” out of a 30rnd *clip* into all the near by houses.
This is why only the strongest gun safe is adequate. Never know when they’ll all start going off. You wouldn’t want one to suddenly start going off in your night stand.
Question: Does TTAG really send these rubes an IGOD award or is it schtick?
Heh. I’ve always wondered the same thing.
Probably thought he saw a dog. DTs are nothing to play with.
I love this part:
“The gun suddenly discharged”
As opposed to
“The gun gradually discharged?”
The online story had my head spinning because the captions under the photos basically tell the same story again. I’ll give them props for one correctly worded sentence:
“when his partner, a 31-year veteran, accidentally discharged a round after they had been having drinks at a restaurant.”
But then there’s all kinds of fail further down:
“a field sobriety test was administered — required by the NYPD in cases where cops fire their weapons. It showed Poggi had a blood-alcohol content of 0.113”
Since when does a “field sobriety test” reveal BAC down to 0.001 percent? Isn’t that what a breathalyser does?
Isn’t a “gradual discharge” messy?
Don’t these “bobed hammer” guns have a fairly heavy trigger pull? Drunk ass cop will skate. Might’ve done it on purpose.
All revolvers, shooting in double action mode have a heavy trigger pull.
The “Greatest police Department in the world”….Really?
These guys are a disgrace. Drunk on duty. Playing with guns inside a car.
An OR bond is common for DUI in NY so that is not really surprising.
Curtis…..Portable Alcosensors do go 0.000 as do Intoxilyzers.
I know there are portable devices for measuring BAC. What I meant was a “field sobriety test,” as far as I know, is things like walking a straight line, putting your finger up to your nose, you know, general tests of coordination and balance they give you before saying, “blow into this.”
Just think, it was a NYPD cop known for getting drunk and shooting out streetlight a that got the top job in Chicago. They had to look long and hard (TWSS) to find quality like that!
The pictured gun is not a smith, it’s a RUGER SP101. The one being held, I have no idea, looks like a 9 of some sort.
His partner definitely wanted him dead taking him to Jamaica hospital.
+1
And I’ll bet the Lieutenant wasn’t his Lieutenant.
If only guns were left to the trained professionals… oh wait. If only the gun manufactures would put heavier triggers on these doa revolvers… oh wait. If only people were not stupid. Yea that the one I was looking for.
The night started with drinks and ended with shots bwahahaha.
seriously i never seen a gun just go off. Though i have never been around an idiot who gets drunk and shoots a coworker.
I’ve been ‘out on the town’ with armed off duty cops….they are human beings too afterall.
Having said that, most negligent discharges that are alcohol related seem to be because familiarity puts one at odds with safety. Alcohol is not necessarily the problem but it magnifies a disrespect of that which is dangerous.
That applies to fast cars and women…………as well as firearms….go ahead and argue that!
URuger DAO’s have one of the heaviest stock trigger pulls around. This is another example of LEO’s that should have retired years ago. I took medical retirement, Dr. said I could pass (wink) medical but I’d be putting other officers im danger. I still help on occasion but know where too draw the line. Only time I’ll respond on an actual call is emergency back-up. Otherwise training only, last year we had a former chief jailed DWI. Bonded whole 9 yards, SC no free rides home anylonger 1 of the few no unions bene’s I applaud. Got told to cover up a lot 30 even 10 & 20 years ago
So if we mere mortals were to carry drink while carrying (even just carrying inside a place that served alcohol in some states), attempt to drive “intoxicated” while carrying, shoot our friend while “intoxicated”, then actually drive while “intoxicated” the list of charges against us would appear endless.
But then again, we’re not part of the special group who is above the law. I keep forgetting that.
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