Ex-Long Island cop in beatdown scandal denies lewd act because he likes women, not men: DA
Former Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke, who has a history of criminal and ethical violations, is set to have indecent exposure and public lewdness charges dismissed after prosecutors cited misconduct by the arresting park rangers, which undermined the case. His attorney argued that Burke could not have committed the alleged act because he is sexually interested in women, not men. The case stemmed from an August 2023 incident at Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park, but collapsed due to credibility issues involving the rangers involved.
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Long Island Ex-Long Island cop in beatdown scandal denies lewd act because he likes women, not men: DA By David Propper Published May 1, 2026, 6:00 a.m. ET A controversial ex-Long Island police chief accused of exposing himself to a male park ranger couldn’t have done the lewd act because “his interest lies toward the female,” his attorney claimed. Former Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke, who was once convicted of beating up a man who stole his porn stash and is blamed by critics for botching the Gilgo Beach murders investigation, will have his charges of indecent exposure and public lewdness dismissed if he stays out of trouble over the next six months, court records show.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at New York Post.
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