The father of a troubled young Orthodox Jewish woman who accused four black men of raping her and pimping her out ripped into Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes today for throwing in the towel on the crumbling case, as a judge dismissed the sensational sex-trafficking charges.
“Despite my daughter’s total cooperation, the Brooklyn District Attorney has surrendered against our will and without our consent,” the father said.
In a statement read aloud by a supporter outside Hynes’ office, the father fumed that his now 22-year-old daughter was linked by “traumatic bonding” to Darrell Dula and Damien Crooks – who she accused of rape in March 2010, only to recant a day later.
“I am saddened as a father and as a human being that this decision to drop charges was made,” he said. “As a Brooklynite, I am ashamed as well.”
Hynes fired back that he has “no ethical choice” but to seek a dismissal after it emerged this spring that prosecutors had not turned over information that could have cleared Dula and Crooks.
“It’s clear that we no longer had a case that we could credibly call viable,” the veteran prosecutor said.
The two men – and brothers Jamali and Jawara Brockett, who are imprisoned on unrelated federal sex-trafficking and state manslaughter charges – were cleared of rape and other alleged crimes after prosecutors asked a judge to toss the case.
“After a careful reinvestigation of this matter, it is clear to the District Attorney that we cannot go forward,” said Michael Vecchione, chief of the rackets division for the district attorney. “Therefore, in the interest of justice, we are moving to dismiss the case against all defendants.”
The indictments of the four men, all with long rap sheets, were announced at a press conference last June where they were accused of a series of shocking crimes over eight years, including forcing her into prostitution as a teenager.
But the case began collapsing this spring when Crooks and Dula were sprung from Rikers Island amid charges that top sex-trafficking prosecutor Lauren Hersh sat on court documents showing the young woman yanked some of her claims against them.
Hersh, who could not be reached for comment, resigned weeks after the case began unraveling.
Crooks said he had a consensual sexual relationship with the woman, who said in recordings obtained by The Post that she felt “horrible” about the allegations she made against Crooks, for whom she said she had feelings.
“I just want to tell her that it wasn’t good for what she did,” said Crooks, 32. “But I forgive her.”
Dula, 25, said spending nearly a year in jail on the charges was “very traumatizing.”
“I feel overjoyed,” he said. “I feel justice has been done for my family.”
The accuser’s dad and victim’s-rights advocates said she suffered from a Stockholm Syndrome-like condition called “traumatic bonding” in which she developed feelings for those who took advantage of her.
“This sends the worst possible message,” said Norma Ramos of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women. “The failure is to go the full length on this case.”
Hynes countered that he was left with no choice but to ask for a dismissal.
“If I had any possibility of trying the case, I would have gone forward,” he said.