RSSFormer NYPD Commissioner Bernard Kerik Accuses Attorney Joe Tacopina of Fraud, Deceit and Misrepresentation … Yes, Same Atty Tacopina Who Defended Joran Van der Sloot
Look who’s name is back in the news … Joe Tacopina.
Former New York Police commissioner Bernard Kerik has filed a complaint before the disciplinary committee of the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division for the First Judicial Department and has accused attorney Joe Tacopina of “conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, and/or misrepresentation” Imagine that? The complaint includes allegations that Joe Tacopina cooperating with federal prosecutors and revealing information crucial to Kerik’s defense to the government without informing or receiving consent from his client. Kerik also alleges that his freedom was jeopardized by Tacoipina’s contacting Kerik in late 2007 after his federal indictment in violation of the conditions of his bail.
Remember this blast from the past from Vanderbilt?
It was June 30, 2006, and Kerik had just pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges. The former top cop admitted accepting a $165,000 gift of apartment renovations seven years before from an allegedly mob-tied company seeking to do business with the city.
Tacopina assured his client that his legal troubles were over and he was free to focus on his security consulting business in the Middle East.
Privately, Kerik’s friends say, Tacopina described the violations this way: “Like pissing on the sidewalk.”
Two years later, Kerik was federal inmate No. 84888-054, sitting in a Maryland cell and wondering if the slick defense attorney helped the feds put him behind bars.Kerik, a 9/11 hero and one of the most decorated police commissioners in New York City history, is now a free man looking for answers.
Kerik, in a bar complaint filed Friday, accused Tacopina of engaging in “conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, and/or misrepresentation” — along with a list of explosive legal abuses:
Joe Tacopina fires back and responds to Kerick’s accusations,“This is such bullsh*t, reheated dog food.”
UPDATE I: Misrepresentation, say it isn’t so. But most will remember Joe Tacopina from his days of defending Joran Van der Sloot, the Dutch teen who most all sane thinking people believe had something to do with Natalee Holloway’s disappearance and death in Aruba in 2005. Watch below, yet another blast from the past with Joe Tacopina, Steve Cohen and Red discussing the Natalee Holloway investigation and those last with her, Joran Vander Sloot, Deepak Kalpoe and Satish Kalpoe on Court TV.
Hear Joe Tacopina do a 180 and actually agree with Red’s point of view regarding the Aruban justice system. Hear Aruban spokes person Steve Cohen agree with Red that the case was blown in the beginning. That is a far cry from what we are hearing today where people are blaming Natalee’s family for the cases failure.
Steve Cohen:Thanks Red, by the way … Red’s been probably one of the best journalists on this whole case through all of it. We have always appreciated having him around and reading what he says.
RED:The outrage that the people have is not, we don’t base it off of an American standard. We base it off of what we have learned what is the Aruban Dutch standard … Its actually a much more easier process because you can arrest someone for suspicion of murder.
Joe Tacopina:Well you know Red raises a good point, if you compare to their standards, the Dutch-Aruban standards, it was blown in that regard because they do have different laws and they do allow you to be detained on suspicion.
Steve Cohen:The misses opportunities happened within the first 48 hours … But I will agree with Red, there is no question that the physical evidence that existed at that point which was critical in solving this case either disappeared or was not there.
When Joran Van der Sloot confessed to the murder of Natalee Holloway, Aruba set him free … but when he confessed to the murder of Stephany Flores, Peru found him guilty and sentenced him in prison for 28 years.
Attorney Joe Tacopina & Julia Renfro Still Making Excuses for Murderer Joran Van der Sloot & Aruba
After all these years, attorney Joe Tacopina still making excuses for the murdering ways of Joran Van der Sloot. Another dead girl, this time the victim is Stephany Flores Ramirez and the usual suspects rush to the defense of Joran Van der Sloot and Aruba.
Joran Van der Sloot suspect in the murder of
Like any good defense attorney, Joe Tacopina is still making excuses for the accused murderer Joran Van der Sloot. This time Tacopina has to try and save face and wash the blood off his hands for the now stabbed to death 21 year old Stephany Flores who was found dead in a hotel room in Lima, Peru registered to who else but Natalee Holloway murder suspect Joran Van der Sloot. Now Joran Van der Sloot is a suspect again in another murder.
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An attorney for Van der Sloot in New York City, Joe Tacopina, said he did not know his client’s whereabouts and has not been in touch with him since the Peru allegations emerged.
Tacopina cautioned against a rush to judgment.
“Joran van der Sloot has been falsely accused of murder once before. The fact is he wears a bull’s-eye on his back now and he is a quote-unquote usual suspect when it comes to allegations of foul play,” Tacopina said.
Van der Sloot was twice arrested but later released for lack of evidence in the 2005 disappearance of Holloway, who was on a high school graduation trip to the Caribbean island.
Click on the pic above to watch the VIDEO of Red, Steven Cohen and Joe Tacopina and hear Red make Tacopina agree with him. Is it any wonder that Joe would later refuse to debate Red on TV shows.
Tacopina is making the rounds again; however, just like when he defended Joran Van der Sloot in the death and disappearance of Natalee Holloway, I am sure he will be ducking confrontational interviews going up against informed pundits.
VIDEO – Jane Velez-Mitchel
Joe Tacopina was on last nights Jane Velez-Mitchel on HLN once again defending the indefensible.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Joe Tacopina, you are the attorney for Joran Van Der Sloot. People are saying, wow, this is a growing body of evidence that connects him to the murder of this Stephany Flores Ramirez. It was his room. She was brutally murdered in a room registered to him, and then he flees. He takes off and tries to go to another country, and now they`re hunting for him. What do you say as his attorney?
JOE TACOPINA, ATTORNEY FOR VAN DER SLOOT (via phone): Well, listen, obviously, I don`t know enough about the facts to comment on this thing. I don`t think anyone does. You know, I`ve been reading articles as if they were proven facts.
I think if history teaches us anything, in the Joran Van Der Sloot case or cases, if you will, is that you sort of need to really wait and see what`s fact and what`s fiction. There have been so many false reports out there time and again regarding stated evidence and what not. And I think you really have to sort of step back and let this investigation take course.
You know, I don`t know — I don`t know what happened. I don`t know if he was there or if he wasn`t there, and I`m not going to sit here and say he certainly had nothing to do with this. I don`t know. But I do know that there have been enough false reporting surrounding this kid and his cases that I think you really have to step back and say let`s wait and see how the investigation, you know, progresses.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, I think I want to go to Stacy Honowitz, Florida prosecutor, to respond to that. Stacy…
…
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Why did he run?
TACOPINA: Again, who`s saying he ran? Who is saying he ran?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, where is he? There`s an — there`s an international dragnet under way as we speak.
TACOPINA: Because he`s not in the locale that he was in two days ago does not mean he was on the run.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right.
TACOPINA: How do you know he didn`t have a preplanned — how do you know? I mean, that`s the point. Before we condemn — and look, I get it and I understand that he has a very short rope. And he should be a prime suspect if all I`ve heard so far is true, but before you go and convict someone, before you…
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I hear you. I hear you.
Below video from Nancy Grace
Then we have the other usual suspect making the media rounds shilling for Van der Sloot and Aruba, Julia Renfro of Aruba Today. (Full transcript -JVM) No Julia, let’s of pray to God that the Peruvian justice system is nothing like the one in Aruba … or the lack there of.
Julia Renfro, you`re the editor-in-chief of “Aruba Today”. What is the reaction in Aruba tonight to this stunning, new development?
Scared Monkeys Turns 20,000,000 … A Special Thanks to All Our Readers
SCARED MONKEYS … 20,000,000 Served!
We would like to thank all of our past and present readers and commenters on both the Front page and in our Forums. Thank you for being a part of Scared Monkeys. Thank you for taking the time to make a difference. Don’t ever think that your voice cannot be heard.
Scared Monkeys has always been about providing an array of news, politics, current event stories, crime, missing persons, humor, Vanderbilt’s artwork and editorials so that you the reader can become informed and participate and be interactive in the process. 20,000,000 visits later and nearly 60,000,000 page views. Many first became associated with SM during the Natalee Holloway case. Many others have become readers and members since.
A long the way having MSM producers, state, local and federal LE reading through the numerous posts and comments. Scared Monkeys has always treasured it’s relationship with Texas Equusearch and the selfless volunteer work they do for families of of missing. Scared Monkeys has been featured on TV, radio and print. SM has provided back ground info to MSM and made special guest appearance on Court TV going up against the bad guys. SM has also been a part of many missing person and crime cases behind the scenes and even found it’s way into the exhibits for the defense in the Kalpoe’s v. Dr Phil case.
Scared Monkeys was always meant to be a community where one could go for a multitude of stories. The main focus is obviously crime, missing persons and politics. However, SM has also been a place to have fun as well. I learned a long tome ago if you cannot laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at. However, there is also a serious side to what SM does. We have not just written about crime and missing persons cases, we have participated in them as well. SM was one of the first to put their volunteerism where their keyboard was an participate in searches for the missing. I will never forget the day that Tim Miller asked whether I wanted to help search for Natalee Holloway. It was not about covering a story, it was about helping find a missing girl. We thank the many Monkeys who have taken the time and given of them self for other in helping in missing person searches as well.
A long the road we have been fortunate enough to bring on Dana Pretzer of The Dana Pretzer Show and the multitude of amazing guests and pundits that have taken part in his weekly show. Ask yourself, what guest that you see on TV who has not been a special guest on Dana’s show? With guests like Wendy Murphy, Clint Van Zandt, Tim Miller, Pat Brown, Dog the Bounty Hunter, Stacy Dittrich, Diane Dimond, Mark Williams, Cyril Wecht and Robin Sax just to name a few.
Most recently we have added Blink and Blink on Crime to the Scared Monkeys stable.All one has to do is read the crime posts and instantly understand the tremendous work and dedication that she and her team do on crime stories. BOC is a site unto itself that has taken off due to the great writing and sleuthing by Blink and her investigative team. For exclusive, original content there is no where else to go. BOC has instantly become one of the best new crime blogs on the Internet today.
Lastly, I would be remiss not to thank you, the readers. You make it possible. Although we never expect everyone to agree all the time we are appreciative that it is most respectful. A thanks also goes out to our Forum moderators, San, CBB, Nut44x4, 2NJson, Bearlyhere and Muffybee. A special thanks goes to Klaas. Anyone who reads or has spent time on Scared Monkeys knows the hard work that Klaas provided. Thanks!
It has been an amazing ride with so many bumps, turns, hills, valleys and server crashes. Thanks to all who made it possible and here is to the future and the many innovations and special surprises down the road.
With Much Appreciation, Red
It Appears that Aruba Reads Scared Monkeys for More than Just Information on Natalee Holloway … Rudy Croes as Well
Well look here, a news publication in Aruba is using the blogs and Scared Monkeys.com for a reference to their article on Justice Minister Rudy Croes. The Scared Monkeys post they are referring to is Rudy Croes … “Aruba Breaks Ties with Netherlands” posted on June 2, 2007.
So do the many critics and haters still think that blogs and namely Scared Monkeys are irrelevant? Hmm? Isn’t it amazing where a post, story, comment or opinion might just wind up. In this case Sol Di Pueblo referenced a story that in many respects did not directly have to do with missing Natalee Holloway, but in stead the actions of Justice Minister Rudy Croes. However, in some ways it has everything to do with Natalee.
Isn’t this interesting. The Aruban Justice Minister making such outlandish comments. Aruba won’t cooperate with the Dutch in the future. You mean they have cooperated in the past? Some where Betico Croes is rolling over in his grave at what things have become.
Scared Monkeys has been referenced and quoted across the internet and in newspaper publications, radio, CNN Inside the Blogs (click watch) and TV. If you do not think that all this is relevant and read by many as being important, don’t tell that to the Dr Phil attorneys who used numerous pages of Scared Monkeys in the Deepak/Satish Kalpoe law suit as exhibits. This does not even touch on the information and details that help families, search teams and law enforcement that never get referenced in print, maybe only in a cryptic message. Scarted Monkeys set forth in early 2005 to try and make a difference, inform and bring people together for a common purpose. Thank you all for taking part in that mission.
Having met and known both Rudy Croes and his brother Betico, one thing is for certain … Rudy, you are no Betico Croes! To borrow a line from Simon & Garfunkel and slightly alter it, all I can say is … “Where have you gone Betico Croes, Aruba turns it’s lonely eyes to you.”
Solo Di Pueblo: Click on pic to enlarge
Had Betico Croes not met an ill-timed accident in 1985 and subsequent death in Aruba in 1986, I can honestly say that the Natalee Holloway disappearance might be solved today instead of the obstruction of justice, corruption, nepotism and favoritism that occurred. There used to be some really great, strong and honorable men in Aruba. Men who were willing to make a stand and do what was right for Aruba, not just individuals. In many respects Betico Croes gave his live for Aruban Independence … are there any honorable Arubans left that are willing to come forward to give of themselves for “Justice for Natalee”? So that your island can once again gain it’s honor back … as well as it’s tourism.
Maybe the bias folks at Wikipedia can stop taking down the references that are put up when it pertains to Natalee Holloway as SM not being a news source.
The Dana Pretzer Show On Scared Monkeys Radio – Friday, December 5, 2008 – “Are Defense Attorneys Monsters, Or Are They Just Doing Their Job?” – Also Just Added, A Late Breaking Interview With Jossy Mansur
Tonight, Dana welcomes the lawyers of some of American society’s most deplorable public figures – at least according to the media.
- Attorney Joel Brodsky (regarding client Drew Peterson)
- Attorney Mark Geragos (regarding client Scott Peterson)
- Attorney Joe Tacopina (regarding client Joran Van der Sloot)
- Assistant District Attorney for Los Angeles County, Robin Sax
In tonight’s second segment, Melody Schmidt discusses the death of her son Joshua Whittier and asks if Joshua’s death is Florida’s “best kept secret”.
Also Just Added, A Late Breaking Interview With Jossy Mansur, Managing Editor of Diario-Aruba.
