Testimony: Cops put man's life in danger

The NYPD cops who let informant Anthony Velez walk free after using his tip to arrest other occupants of an apartment with a gun and drugs violated proper procedure and put his life in danger, an expert testified in Brooklyn federal court Wednesday.

"If the occupants of the apartment knew or surmised that he was affiliated with the police, it would almost certainly lead to him being killed," said Joseph Pollini, a former detective who now teaches at John Jay College.

Confidential informant Velez, 20, was shot to death less than two hours after the raid he triggered in Brownsville in February 2004. He occasionally bought marijuana at the apartment, according to testimony. His mother is suing the city and two officers who led the raid -- retired former Sgt. Michael Ruggiero, and Velez' handler, Officer Rudy Hall.

Ruggiero and Hall both have testified that they received no formal training on how to handle and protect confidential informants, and the case has raised questions about the NYPD's procedures at a time when it is urging citizens to "say something" if they see something suspicious.

Det. Jayne Jennings, the homicide detective assigned to the Velez killing, testified Wednesday that it is still an open case. She confirmed that two police reports in 2004 said that Velez, told responding officers that a man named "Sonny" shot him before dying.

"Sonny" is the nickname of the son of a woman arrested in the apartment, and the owner of the gun, according to testimony. But court filings by the city say the two 73rd Precinct officers who the reports say heard Velez's dying declaration now say they don't remember such a statement.

City lawyers tried to keep the statement out of evidence. Jennings was not asked in court why "Sonny" was never arrested, but a reporter asked her as she left.

"I can't answer that," she said.

The city contends there is no evidence that Velez was shot because he was an informant, or that the decision of police to let him go after busting others in an apartment with a gun and drugs disclosed his role.