Harrison REVIEW THE
May 21, 2021 | Vol. 9, Number 18 | www.harrisonreview.com
Harrison PD arrests Bronx man on burglary charge
TOGETHER APART: THE GREAT OUTDOORS Outdoor spaces became our dining rooms, playrooms, and family rooms. We walked, we found solace in nature, and we celebrated milestones out of doors.
COVID binds us The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on people across the world. Through Aug. 1, ArtsWestchester will present a snapshot of this moment in time, as communicated through the works of more than 220 artists and community members. For more on the exhibit, see page 6. Photo courtesy ArtsWestchester
Grand jury documents in play in Gaynor abuse case By MIKE SMITH Sports Editor A New York State judge overseeing the civil trial against a former Immaculate Heart of Mary teacher will force the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York to hand over documents pertaining to a 2002 grand jury investigation about the church’s role in the sexual abuse of minors, court documents reveal. On May 5, state Associate Supreme Court Justice Steven M. Jaeger denied efforts by the Archdiocese—which is listed as a co-defendant alongside Edwin Gaynor, a former school employee who has been accused of sexual abuse—to withhold information relating to the investigation,
ruling that those documents could be relevant to the current cases being brought forth against the former teacher and coach. Counsel for the plaintiffs first requested, in September 2020, that all grand jury documents regarding the 2002 investigation be made available during discovery . a gambit opposed by Archdiocesan attorneys in an Oct. 28, 2020, motion which labeled these requests as “overly-broad.”Since November 2019, more than 30 accusers have come forward with claims against Gaynor, alleging that the 85-year-old Ossining resident used his position as a teacher and employee of catholic schools in Westchester County— notably IHM in Scarsdale and Holy Rosary in Hawthorne—to
abuse minors from the late 1950s to mid-1980s. In his ruling, Jaeger pointed to the plaintiffs’ allegations that church officials had knowingly dismissed complaints against Gaynor and continued to employ him, a practice detailed in the testimony from the 2002 investigation. The 2002 grand jury was convened by then-Westchester County District Attorney Jeanine Pirro, a Republican, following bombshell reporting by the Boston Globe that uncovered a pattern of systemic sexual abuse that had been covered up for decades by the Boston Archdiocese. Meeting 15 times and calling 21 witnesses, the Grand Jury released its report on June 18 of that year, finding
that the New York Archdiocese had indeed failed to report claims of abuse in Westchester County and proposing legislative recommendations—including abolishing the statute of limitations for sex crimes against minors— that would make it easier for alleged victims to come forward in the future. “The objection to release by the Archdiocese of the documents submitted to the Westchester County 2002 Grand Jury Report is misplaced as it is alleged to deal with Archdiocese’s alleged malfeasance . . . and for the conduct of the same clergy and employees,” Jaeger wrote. “Such documents may be probative of GAYNOR continued on page 9
Following a month-long investigation, Harrison police have charged a Bronx man with breaking into a home that was occupied at the time. Emiljian Drekaj, 27, was charged with Burglary in the second degree, a felony. He is currently being held at the Westchester County Jail in lieu of $25,000 cash bail/ $50,000 bond. On April 1, the Harrison police responded to a report that an unknown male had entered a residence through a rear door while the home was occupied. After being confronted by the nanny, the man fled out the front door and left in a vehicle. Harrison police investigators, through the course of the investigation, were able to determine a suspect vehicle. On May 7, the Harrison police, with the assistance of the Westchester County District Attor-
Emiljian Drekaj, of the Bronx, was charged with Burglary in the second degree, a felony, for breaking into a home.
ney’s Office and its investigators, and the New York State Police, apprehended Drekaj near his Bronx residence. Search warrants were executed on the suspect’s vehicles and at his residence, where evidence related to the burglary was seized. (Submitted)