Cops: Man sought sex for favorable testimony

A man who police said was menaced by a neighbor with a hatchet during an altercation in August himself ended up arrested last week after police said he attempted to solicit sex from his attacker's fiance -- in return for "favorable testimony" at the man's parole hearing.

Horace L. Lattimore, 59, of Hampton Bays, was arrested by Southampton Town police on Dec. 4 and charged with bribe receiving by a witness and aggravated harassment. He was arraigned in Southampton Town Justice Court and released on $500 bail, police said.

Police said the initial incident between Lattimore and neighbor Sean McDermott occurred in August and that the "physical altercation" between the two men ended when McDermott menaced Lattimore with a hatchet. McDermott was arrested, convicted and sent to jail, police said.

But then, with McDermott scheduled for a parole hearing Dec. 3, police said Lattimore approached McDermott's fiance -- and requested a "sexual favor" from her in exchange for "favorable testimony" at the parole hearing. Police said that when the fiance, whom police did not name, refused the offer, Lattimore then asked for $500. That request also was refused, police said.

Lattimore was then arrested.