Tag: Leonard Wexler

Disgraced ex-Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke pleaded guilty to federal civil rights violations and conspiracy charges Friday for beating a suspect and ordering police to cover it up. Burke was arrested in December 2015 on allegations by federal prosecutors that he had beaten Smithtown resident Christopher Loeb while in police custody two years earlier and coerced police officials who had witnessed the beating to lie to investigators about what they’d seen.

The ex-chief's attorney believes it is "pretty likely" that the case will start on March 21.

A federal judge sided with prosecutors who argued that the ex-chief can't be trusted.