The 1983 armed robbery conviction of the father of an NFL lineman was vacated in Westchester County on Friday after a review found misconduct on the part of the detectives investigating the case.
Jeffrey Koons, 67, smiled in court and said he felt vindicated when Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocha agreed to vacate his decades-old conviction stemming from a stickup at the Mount Vernon Social Club. According to Lohood,
The district attorney’s office’s investigation found that Koonce’s conviction was “tainted by such questionable investigative procedures,” Roca said in a statement.
Koonce, father of Las Vegas Raider defensive end Malcolm Koonce, said in court, “I feel like a burden has been lifted off my shoulders as far as my character goes and that goes straight to my family because my There are some amazing kids around.” According to Lohood.
He said, “He had to suffer throughout his life with what society thought about me, which was not true at all, and this is the confirmation of everything for him.”
A review by the DA’s Office’s Conviction Review Unit found that one of the lead detectives on the case committed perjury and that investigators used improper photo identification methods.
“From the highly suggestive photo array and identification procedures used by MVPD detectives to the totality of new evidence found by the CRU investigation, we agree with defense counsel that Jeffrey Koons’s 1983 conviction was tainted by such questionable investigative procedures And so it can no longer be tolerated. The integrity of this conviction,” Rocha said in his statement.
Koonce, who has maintained his innocence since he was first charged, served more than eight years in prison for an armed robbery committed by three men on June 20, 1981.
That day, more than 20 patrons and employees were held at gunpoint inside the Vernon Stars Rod & Gun Club in Mount Vernon. A gun was fired during the robbery, hitting a 15-year-old boy in the arm and injuring three adults.
Koonce and his younger brother Paul were arrested a week after committing the crime and only one witness – a 15-year-old gunshot victim – testified that the elder Koonce was at the scene.
The DA’s Office review found that two lead detectives and a lieutenant used improper photo ID methods that resulted in false testimony against Kouns, including a “highly suggestive photo array” that showed the injured victim in the hospital. Was shown.
Koonce said he had an alibi and was not at Mount Vernon during the robbery.
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