The Bronx detective facing a perjury charge after a 17-year-old secretly recorded the cop questioning him on an MP3 player is “one good cop” and “an honest man” who never committed perjury, his lawyer said today during closing arguments.
But prosecutors said there was no doubt Det. Christopher Perino is a liar.
Defense lawyer Murray Richman said the 22-year NYPD veteran made a “mistake” — nothing more.
“A mistake is not perjury. Oversight is not perjury. Forgetfulness is not perjury,” he said to the Bronx Supreme Court judge.
Perino, 43, faces 12 counts, including perjury, that could cost the married father of four his pension and his freedom, while Crespo is currently serving seven years after prosecutors let him plead guilty to weapons possession — less than the original charge of attempted murder.
At Crespo’s trial two years ago, Perino stated emphatically that he never interviewed the suspect before his aunt and mother had arrived at the 44th Precinct station house. Prosecutors were blindsided during the 2007 trial when Crespo’s lawyers introduced the MP3 recording as evidence.
When he heard the recording, Richman tried to downplay its importance.
“I said, ‘Holy Cow! This guy was civil. No threats, no yelling, no abuse,” said Richman.
The recording that got Perino in hot water was made public today for the first time.
“What purpose, what logical purpose did Christopher Perino have for committing perjury? What would he have gained?” Richman asked.
Richman also said, “[Perino] didn’t recall [having a conversation with Crespo]. And is that a sin? Is that a crime?”
This afternoon, Assistant DA Lawrence Hartstein noted that Perino is charged with 12 counts of perjury and that the detective never mentioned the conversation he had with Crespo when he spoke with a prosecutor and when he filled out his police report within 24 hours of talking to the teen.
“It is unquestionable, beyond any doubt, that he did commit perjury,” Hartstein said.
He said Perino lied on his police report by omitting mentioning the interview with Crespo.
“It was fresh in his mind. It was within 24 hours,” he said. “He is now well on ihs way down on the road to perjury. Conveniently, he left out the illegal part… He had a problem and he knew it.”