April 24, 2000

QUEENS MORGUE ATTENDANT ARRESTED FOR STEALING FROM BODY OF DECEASED JACKSON HEIGHTS MAN

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown announced today the arrest of a New York City morgue attendant on charges of stealing a credit card, a checkbook and other personal effects from the body of a deceased Queens resident and forging one of the deceased's personal checks in the amount of $4,600.

District Attorney Brown said, "The theft of personal property from a dead person is a repugnant act. When the accused is a public employee entrusted to handle and transport decedents' bodies, the crime is especially reprehensible. While the overwhelming majority of public employees who attend the dead and dying of our City do so with decency and respect, this defendant clearly cannot be counted in their ranks."

District Attorney Brown identified the defendant as Garnell Brown, 42, of no known address. He has been an employee of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation as a Mortuary Technician for 12 years.

According to the District Attorney, it is charged that during the afternoon of September 1, 1999, the defendant was on duty at the Queens County Morgue which is maintained at the Queens County Hospital Center and responded to a call to remove the body of a recently deceased Jackson Heights resident from his apartment at 35-15 75^th Street to the morgue. The following day, it is alleged, the defendant sold a credit card belonging to the deceased to a Brooklyn man for $100. Later that day, the Brooklyn man allegedly attempted to buy a pair of sneakers using the stolen credit card and was arrested. It is also charged that on the same day the defendant made payable to his girlfriend one of the deceased's personal checks in the amount of $4,600, forged the deceased's signature and told her to open a bank account. The check was never negotiated.

District Attorney Brown said that the investigation revealed that in addition to the deceased's wallet, credit card and checkbook the defendant allegedly stole the deceased's bank statements which reflected $300,000 in funds available.

The defendant is charged with grand and petit larceny, forgery and official misconduct. He faces up to 7 years in prison upon conviction.

The investigation was carried out jointly by investigators of the Health and Hospital Corporation's Inspector General's office and

Detective Sgt. Richard Scantlebury and the Queens District Attorneys Detective Bureau which is under the supervision of Chief Edward T. Brady and Deputy Chief Lawrence J. Festa. The arrest was made today.

Assistant District Attorney Yvonne Creque of the District Attorney's Integrity Bureau, which is under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney James Liander and the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney Crusco, is in charge of the case.

It should be noted that an arrest is merely an accusation and that a defendant should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.