By Eileen Buckley
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-818817.mp3
Buffalo, NY – Suspended Buffalo Police Detective Dennis Delano testified in his own defense at his disciplinary hearing Tuesday. He was suspended last year for releasing evidence from the Lynn Dejac case to a television station.
Delano says it is time to hear the truth. He faces departmental charges for failing to obey orders to drop his own investigation into the 1993 murder case of Dejac's daughter, Crystallynn Girard. Delano testified that his supervisors knew he was taking home cold case files to investigate them on his own time. Delano's attorney Steve Cohen is portraying Delano as a dedicated detective who was seeking the truth.
But Buffalo Police Department attorney Diane O'Gorman says when Delano was told to stop his own probe, he refused and then released the evidence.
Delano was a member of the cold case squad. The team uncovered DNA evidence that freed Dejac for wrongfully serving prison time for the death of her daughter. The cold case squad also cracked the bike path killer case freeing Anthony Cappozi from prison. Capozzi's father, Albert Capozzi appeared at Tuesday's hearing to support Delano.
Delano's hearing will resume Saturday. But it could be a couple of months before any decision is made. First, an advisory ruling will be issued by the hearing officer. Then, it is up to Buffalo Police Commissioner McCarthy Gipson to decide if Delano will stay or be removed from the force.
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