Volume 65, No. 92 FAriday, UGUST 23, 2019 50¢ Critics blast QUEENS City Council for jail plan TODAY hearing date By David Brand and Noah Goldberg — August 23, 2019 — Queens Daily Eagle Advocates and opponents of the city’s plan SINCE QUEENS BOROUGH PRES- to close Rikers Island and build four new jails ident Melinda Katz officially won the will pack City Hall for the council’s public long, drawn out Democratic primary for hearing on the proposal Sept. 5. That’s also the first day of public school for hundreds of Queens district attorney, there has been thousands of New York City students, and some speculation about when, exactly, the stakeholders say the hearing date could pose a winner of the November general election big obstacle to community engagement. would take office. The hearing will take place during a sched- uled meeting of the Subcommittee on Land- marks, Public Siting and Maritime Uses. A THE WINNER OF THE NOVEMBER City Council spokesperson told the Eagle that general election will take over for late DA it is expected to be the only hearing on the Richard Brown, who died in May after 28 Councilmember Adrienne Adams is chair of the Subcommittee on Landmarks, Public topic. years in office. Because Brown vacated Siting and Maritime Uses, which will host the City Council’s only public hearing on the Continued on page 9 the office, there was some confusion about “borough-based” jail plan on Sept. 5. Photo by John McCarten/City Council via Flickr whether the winner of the election would take over immediately — as would be the case in a special election or in a legislative election, said election attorney Martin Connors, a former state senator. Read more on page 2. Cash pours in ahead of a likely BP special election THE QUEENS COUNTY BAR ASSO- ciation seized the opportunity to connect with the next generation of law students during CUNY School of Law's 1L orientation on Wednesday. QCBA PRESIDENT MARIE-ELEANA First, Law School Liaison Committee co-chair Joel Serrano and 2L Student Ambassador Tycel Harris were ready and waiting at the Long Island City law school when the new students left orientation. See page 20. A 33-YEAR-OLD CHEF WHO HAD been missing since Saturday was found dead inside an Elmhurst guest house Thursday afternoon. ELMHURST RESIDENT ANDREA Zamperoni was reported missing after he didn't report for work as the head chef at Cipriani Dolce in Grand Central on Monday. Read more on page 2. NEW YORK CITY COMPTROLLER Scott Stringer released an audit calling out discrepancies in revenue reported by the US Read more on page 13 National Tennis Center, dropping a bombshell on the cusp of the US Open. Clockwise from top left: Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer, Assemblymember Alicia Hyndman, former Councilmember Elizabeth Crowley, Councilmember Paul Vallone, Councilmember Costa Constantinides and Councilmember Donovan Richards are each Continued on page 2 expected to run in a likely special election for Queens Borough President. Photos courtesy of the candidates SAVE THE DATE 10.03.19 Tickets/Information: Michael Nussbaum (718) 422-7409 ‧ [email protected] PRESENTS Guardians of Justice guardians-of-justice.eventbrite.com Despite vacancy, Queens DA election winner will take office Jan. 1, 2020 QUEENS By David Brand Queens Daily Eagle Since Queens Borough President Me- linda Katz officially won the long, drawn out Democratic primary for Queens district attorney, there has been some speculation about when, exactly, the winner of the No- TODAY vember general election would take office. — August 23, 2019 — The winner of the November general election will take over for late DA Richard Brown, who died in May after 28 years in STRINGER HELD A PRESS CONFE- office. Because Brown vacated the office, rence Thursday afternoon to discuss the audit, there was some confusion about whether the which found the US National Tennis Center winner of the election would take over im- mediately — as would be the case in a spe- had underreported millions in revenue and cial election or in a legislative election, said underpaid rent owed to the city. Read more on election attorney Martin Connors, a former page 13. state senator. Borough President Melinda Katz is the Democratic nominee for Queens DA. Connors said that the DA election win- AP Photo/Seth Wenig ner would actually assume office on Jan. 1, DARE WE USE THE EXPRESSIONS 2020. “cutting edge” and “classic” in the same The Board of Elections confirmed that sentence? Great Queens traditions ─ Arthur schedule in a message to the Eagle. Ashe Kids’ Day, Jazzmobile Block Party, Jerk “The person who wins the QDA General Fest ─ are happening this weekend. Ditto for Election takes office on January 1, 2020,” a new pop-up markets, a listening party, and a BOE spokesperson said. unique corn roast. Read more what's going on Katz will likely face off against Queens in Queens this weekend on page 12. defense attorney and former NYPD officer Joe Murray in the general election. Murray is the prospective Republican nominee af- A QUEENS TEEN SUSPECTED OF ter placeholder candidate Daniel Kogan was shooting another teen in Springfield Gardens designated as a judicial candidate by the Defense attorney Joe Murray is the likely GOP nominee in the November general was arrested on Thursday. Jermaine Orr Queens County Republican Party at their shot Angel Nixon in the head, torso and leg, judicial convention earlier this month. election. Photo via Facebook following a heated argument on 176th Street earlier this week. Nixon was pronounced dead at Jamaica Hospital. Missing Cipriani chef found dead in Elmhurst hostel By David Brand Andrea Zamperoni, a chef at Cipriani day, police said. THE GRACE JAMAICAN JERK FES- Queens Daily Eagle Dolce in Grand Central Station, was dis- Zamperoni was born in Italy and previ- tival will be making its ninth outing at St. A 33-year-old chef who had been miss- covered at the Kamway Lodge at 40-36 ously worked at a Cipriani in London. Albans’ Roy Wilkins Park on Sunday, Aug. 25, ing since Saturday was found dead inside 77th Street. He was reported missing Mon- The city medical examiner will deter- after a brutal heatwave pushed it back from its an Elmhurst guest house Thursday after- day after he did not come to work. His mine the cause of death and an investiga- original July date. Tickets to the original event roommates had not seen him since Satur- tion is ongoing, the NYPD said. noon. will be honored at the door, according to the event’s website. Queens County Criminal Court Calendar — August 23 — A BROOKLYN MAN WHO EXCHANGED WOMEN CHARGED IN with Becker, 36. EMS took the baby to Elm- dictment related to possession of child pornog- images of children engaging in sex acts with BABY’S HOTEL DEATH hurst General Hospital where she was pro- raphy. Lalbeharry appears in K18 for a confer- adult men with a Queens perv was given a Long Island resident Lauren Becker is nounced dead. ence. six-month-long jail sentence Thursday. Steven charged with second-degree manslaughter for JUDGE KIRSCHNER PRESIDES Lalbeharry allegedly accumulated thou- Gallardo, 39, was caught with numerous her alleged role in the death of a newborn baby ••• sands of photos and videos of children, includ- photos on his iPad of children under the age in a Sunnyside hotel in July 2018. Becker ap- ing babies as young as six-months-old, being of 12 shown in a sexual manner or performing pears in APN for a conference. JAMAICA MAN abused. Overall, his January indictment was sexual acts. Some of the children were as Police and EMS responding to a 911 call CHARGED FOR MASSIVE 14,764 pages long. young as 1. at the hotel on July 18, 2018 found a newborn TROVE OF CHILD PORN JUSTICE ZARO PRESIDES baby girl lying unresponsive inside a room Vishal Lalbeharry is charged in 17,725-in- ••• VISIT US ONLINE AT QUEENSEAGLE. FORMER PROSECUTORS FIGHTING FOR YOU! com for more up-to-date news about Queens’ communities and courts. To subscribe to our Dominic Addabbo, Esq. | Todd Greenberg, Esq daily emails, visit queenseagle.com/subscribe. ADDABBO & GREENBERG PUBLISHERS: LAW Get 'The Best of the Nest' Michael Nussbaum J.D. Hasty Experience Equals Results. 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Fax: 718-643-9485. 2 • Queens Daily Eagle • Friday, August 23, 2019 Trump’s fake accent angers Asian-Americans as they veer left By Terry Tang The Associated Press When Amanda Berg heard reports that President Donald Trump mocked the accents of the leaders of South Korea and Japan at a recent fundraiser, it brought back painful memories from her child- hood. Berg, a Korean-American who grew up in Fort Collins, Colora- do, recalled kids doing the “stereotypical pulling at the eyes and the mocking accent.” It made her feel like she was a foreigner in her own community.