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November 12, 2008


Lebron defense goes after integrity of key prosecution witness

Steve Lieberman
The Journal News

Spring Valley police Officer David Lebron's defense lawyer today went after the character and testimony of a key prosecution witness, who had told the jury that Lebron tipped him off about pending police raids.

Joseph Houston, a former bar manager in Spring Valley, answered questions about his criminal past and his drug use from Lebron's lawyer, Richard Murray.

Houston, who now runs a Costa Rica-based Internet gambling site and publishes a magazine, once took sports bets and also had conviction involving a burglary and theft of jewelry from his landlady in 2006.

Murray also focused on Houston's admitted inability to provide specific dates in his testimony about Lebron's tips and when police raided the bars.

Houston, 30, dressed in a black suit jacket, also told the the jury about an argument he had with a part-time Spring Valley police officer before he started his testimony last week.

The officer, John Vespucci, filed a report stating Houston was withholding evidence and made certain statements.

Houston testified he told Vespucci that he couldn't discuss the case on the judge's order.

An issue during the trial has been accusations that some other officers committed illegal acts like those Lebron is accused of committing. Murray asked Houston about his relationship with several Spring Valley police officers.

Lebron, an officer for nearly 16 years, is charged with felony counts of first-degree falsifying business records and first-degree offering a false instrument for filing, as well as two misdemeanor counts each of official misconduct and sixth-degree conspiracy.

Houston continues testifying this afternoon before the jury and Judge Catherine Bartlett in the Rockland County Courthouse in New City.

Prosecutors Gary Lee Heavner and Janine Kovacs will then ask Houston more questions or call another witness.

Read more about this story tomorrow in The Journal News.