By Shayna Jacobs
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN SUPREME COURT — A mistrial was declared Tuesday in the case of an ex-police officer's wife who barged into a precinct after her 13-year-old son's arrest last year and demanded his release.
The former officer, Merault Almonor, 50, entered the precinct minutes after his wife, Wilma Dore-Almonor, on March 20, 2010. She allegedly created a scene and he was charged with punching an officer in her defense. The couple claimed their son's arrest was an act of racial profiling.
Almonor's attorney, Robert Gottleib called the 30th Precinct a "cesspool" that operates in a culture of racism.
To demonstrate his point, he showed reporters printed t-shirts that he claimed were for sale on Facebook as 30th Precinct souvenirs.
One said "Top Ten Statements Made By Perps," a list that included "I want all ya'll badge numbers," "I know my rights," and "I'm gonna sue ya'll."
Another shirt he said was for sale read: "30th Precinct; House of Pain."
Almonor was acquitted of assault by a jury on Friday and his wife was cleared of resisting arrest and government obstruction in the mistrial late Tuesday afternoon. It was unclear whether prosecutors will move to retry the charges against the wife.
The jury did convict the teen's mother of criminal trespass, a violation akin to a traffic summons.
The verdict and Tuesday's mistrial were a partial victory for the couple, who claim their family was victimized by police misconduct stemming from the March detainment of their teenage son.
Defense lawyers argued the charges against the couple were bogus and fabricated by 30th Precinct police who were trying to cover up the wrongful arrest of their son.
Wilma Dore-Almonor is due back in court next month when she will likely learn whether prosecutors will move to retry her case.
