Call for resignations sparks confrontation after Wyandanch library custodian's rape conviction 

Wyandanch's school board vice president interrupted a news conference Friday calling for her and two local library board trustees to resign two days after her nephew, library custodian Kwaisi McCorvey, pleaded guilty to raping a 16-year-old in 2016.

Monte Malik Chandler, the rape victim's attorney, got into a heated exchange with Nancy Holliday. The former library trustee and current school district official confronted Chandler during his public appeal in front of Wyandanch Public Library while defending her nephew.

Chandler previously filed a notice of claim seeking $30 million in damages on behalf of his client, who has alleged McCorvey also raped her repeatedly at the library when she was a minor.

McCorvey, 51, of Farmingdale, pleaded guilty Wednesday to third-degree rape and child endangerment for an assault on the young woman in North Amityville. Newsday isn't publishing her name because she is a sexual assault victim.

Law enforcement officials haven't charged McCorvey in connection with any alleged assaults at the library.

In February, library board members voted to suspend McCorvey with pay a week after his rape arrest. Library officials didn't immediately respond to an inquiry Friday about McCorvey's current job status.

Holliday stepped forward and began shouting when Chandler started speaking about a school board member who should resign.

"That's me, Nancy Holliday!" she yelled.

The two then began a nearly 10-minute exchange. 

“Where is it in the criminal report that he did anything here? You are a liar!” Holliday shouted. “You put this scheme together and you knew he couldn’t get a fair trial."

Chandler then countered Holliday's remarks.

“Your nephew admitted it!” he told her.

“He didn’t admit anything!” Holliday shouted back. “What he did was try to protect his kids because he couldn’t get a fair trial.”

A confidential memo showed Chandler's client reported to the library's director in 2021 that she had sexual encounters with McCorvey in the library while underage, but McCorvey remained on the job until after his arrest this year, Newsday reported last month.

Current library trustee Norman Sellers, who was on the board when the young woman came forward to the library's director, didn't respond to a request for comment Friday. Board trustee Katrina Crawford, who also served in that time period, declined comment.

The young woman reported the alleged abuse to Suffolk police later in 2021.

 Chandler said in an interview Thursday that McCorvey robbed his client, now 23, of her innocence and she's pleased he's been convicted.  

Under his plea deal, McCorvey's felony rape conviction will be dropped and only his misdemeanor endangerment conviction will remain if he successfully serves a year of probation.

If he violates probation, he'll face 1½ to 3 years in prison and will have to register as a sex offender, according to court officials and prosecutors.

The $30 million notice of claim — a precursor to a lawsuit — names the library, McCorvey, Holliday and other former and current library board members as defendants.

Filed in July, the claim alleges library officials knew or should have known McCorvey repeatedly sexually assaulted the teenager at the library, but they failed to take action.

 Records show McCorvey had two felony convictions before his 2007 library hire and has been one of the public institution's highest-paid employees for years, earning as much as $158,298 annually with overtime.  

By Denise M. Bonilla

denise.bonilla@newsday.comdenisebonilla

Denise Bonilla has worked at Newsday since 2003 and covers the Town of Babylon, including the villages of Lindenhurst and Amityville.