FBI clears Auburn police in brutality complaint

By: The Citizen staff report

Thursday, June 19, 2008 12:58 PM EDT

A federal investigation into a complaint of police brutality in Auburn has been closed.
The case began with a teenager who was arrested outside Auburn City Hall in August 2004.

City police had said the boy resisted arrest after being told he couldn't ride a skateboard in that area and that pepper spray and a physical struggle were needed to take him into custody.

The boy's mother, Mary Lou Picciano, later complained that her son had been falsely arrested and falsely detained. Picciano filed a notice of claim against the city in 2004 alleging that her son had been "unreasonably and unnecessarily assaulted and battered" by a city police officer.

Picciano later filed a complaint with the FBI and federal agents first contacted the Auburn Police Department last year about its investigation.

Auburn Police Department Chief Gary Giannotta said Thursday that his office recently received a letter from the FBI in Washington, D.C., informing him that the department has been cleared of any federal civil rights violations. "They conducted a full investigation, and they cleared us," Giannotta said.

Since her son's arrest, Picciano has attended dozens of city council meetings, arguing publicly that the police department abused its powers and challenging officers to take lie detector tests.

The Citizens' Say

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There are 9 comment(s)

quiveringthigh wrote on Jun 20, 2008 11:24 AM:

" It doesn't surprise me that cops would pepper spray a kid. They(cops) have control issues. Most of them are very abusive to their spouses. I think they should resign and get a job that's a little less stressful. They seem to take the badge a little too far. Don't like them. "

bizzaro-world wrote on Jun 20, 2008 8:04 AM:

" Oh, and by the way BREW, perhaps you should be working more on the midnight shift & reading auburnpub.com on your own time, officer. "

bizzaro-world wrote on Jun 20, 2008 7:58 AM:

" with a screen name of brew....you must be kidding officer. "

Unknown... wrote on Jun 20, 2008 7:55 AM:

" Not to mention all the damage that kids have caused with skateboards, and trick bikes. Look at the front of the old Cayuga Savings Bank, all the marble is chipped up from these kids. Most of the steps you see downtown are the same way. "

brew1234 wrote on Jun 20, 2008 12:24 AM:

" There are plenty of activities for kids today. Why don't they join a sports league or go to a ball game or go to the skating rink or bowl or join a club or volunteer for community service or join the YMCA? The only activity they can find is drinking underage? I can tell you did a lot of drinking because you seem to be a few braincells short. So your kids should follow in your stumbling footsteps? "

CayugaWatch wrote on Jun 19, 2008 7:15 PM:

" This has been a joke from the start. A perfect example of a mother that thinks her son can do no wrong. The son has been in more trouble since this incident and she also blames the police. I think a lot of the blame should be on her. Wake up and maybe he can get straight before he goes to the the NY State Correction Dept. "

bizzaro-world wrote on Jun 19, 2008 5:34 PM:

" On the contrary, there have been numerous complaints filed locally against a short list of officers. There is such a huge desparity in treatment of citizens. Shame on people for being involved but this is a wake up call. We should expect better from the HIGHEST PAID per capita police force in the entire nation, don't you think? As for the skateboarding, when the senior officers, city counselors and all of us over 40 were young, we used Emerson Park at will...we had the Y-Field, we had so much more. Now that we [40+) are calling the shots, nobody can do anything. I used to see almost every single one of you drinking your faces off at the Lake. Oh yea, then driving. Suddenly there is no such outlet, right or wrong. You people know what I mean. Lighten up, good heavens. "

cm wrote on Jun 19, 2008 2:52 PM:

" Why dont she have her SON take the lie detector test
then teach him some manners along with how to follow the rules in a public building!!! "

realist wrote on Jun 19, 2008 2:43 PM:

" HAH!! good riddance!! no need to see her whining and carrying on during counsel meetings. maybe she'll accuse the fbi of wrongdoing now.. "

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