Set Trial Date for Rogue Cop in Conductor Beat-Down
A Bronx judge set June 5th as the trial date for NYPD officer Mirjan Lolja, who jumped on and throttled NYCT Conductor Fatima Futa, a member of Local 100, last December 23rd. Lolja -- who was not in uniform and didn't identify himself -- apparently grew irate at the train schedule and decided to take his frustration out on the nearest MTA employee. He pushed her down and choked her at about 2AM, then bolted from the station wearing a big grin on his face. Read the Daily News story here. Lolja only turned himself in a week later when the video image was released by the NYPD, who apparently didn't know that the perpetrator was one of their own. On his way into court today at the Bronx Hall of Justice, Lolja and his attorney had to walk past TWU Local 100 Vice President for RTO, Kevin Harrington, Chair Joe Costales, Exec Board Member Steve Downs, and rank and file members who then sat in court for nearly three hours waiting for the case to be called. When it was, it took just minutes for the prosecutors and Lolja's attorney to agree on June 5th as the date the trial will start. Lolja is charged with misdemeanor assault, which TWU Local 100 believes is too lenient, since state law makes assaulting a transit worker a felony. Let's show up in force on June 5th to support our assaulted Conductor.