NYPD once again selectively leaks blame-victim details, even though it will take months before the victim's survivors get access to the investigative materials. This ensures the case is "cold" in the media and public eye when the truth is finally revealed. See: Mario Valenzuela. https://twitter.com/StreetsblogNYC/status/1325829795750490119
Not to diminish this woman's death in Bushwick, but we have got to stop NYPD's MO of dribbling out blame-victim details this way. The NYPD CIS is in charge of this investigation, so where does DCPI get off leaking these anonymously-sourced details to the press? cc: @cegoldbaum
Just got off the phone with a supervising officer at the CIS. One of several calls I made, trying to determine whether the detective who investigated Mario Valenzuela's death will appear at a hearing tomorrow to explain why he concluded that Mario was 100% at fault...
All I was told was that maybe @NYSDMV asked the detective to attend, maybe they didn't--and a supervisor in the detective's unit is not in a position to tell me which it was. So I and Mario's family will find out when we show up at the hearing tomorrow morning...
If there is no officer present, will the DMV judge simply adopt the detective's unsupported conclusions, without even looking at the video, the pictures or the rest of the investigative file? I've seen it happen. This system is deeply in need of reform.
There is no reason for police rather than civilians to conduct investigations of fatal crashes. The quality of the CIS investigations are wildly inconsistent, and families are subjected to an abject lack of transparency and accountability that are the NYPD's hallmarks.
As I said, Mario's family is being victimized over and over, unecessarily: first by the truck driver and trucking company; then by the unsupportable NYPD conclusion blaming Mario; now by NYPD's refusal even to confirm if they will show up at hearing to explain their conclusion.
How do cyclists feel reading this thread to know that your family had been told that you were at fault for your own death by NYPD, then a *year later* evidence unequivocally to the contrary comes out, and NYPD refuses to explain how it reached the original erroneous conclusion?
Report from the @NYSDMV hearing re licensure of driver who killed Mario:

-investigating detective showed up

- I'd say the "bench was hot"; judge asked detective whether driver's speed was a factor, whether Mario had chance to see (fictitious) turn signal, no crisp answers...
Detective also referenced facts not mentioned in official report: driver admitted being on phone, but whether it was hands-free call or not, "undetermined" Detective bent over backwards in this and other respects to exonerate driver...
Detective swears he sees the driver signalling his right turn, you watch video, tell me if you see it...good on Judge Dillon for asking if driver's brake lights activated at any time before or during turn...Detective: "Not sure.". You watch, you decide! https://vimeo.com/473450398 
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