UPDATED: Nov. 24, 2011, 2:47 p.m.

Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick criticized the way the Syracuse Police Department has handled its investigation of Bernie Fine, Syracuse University’s associate head basketball coach, at a press conference Wednesday.

Fitzpatrick accused Syracuse Police Chief Frank Fowler and Deputy Chief Sean Broton of criminally ‘leaking’ a witness affidavit in the case to try to embarrass the prosecutor’s office, according to an online article published by The Post-Standard on Wednesday. He also accused Fowler of using new procedures to restrict access to all reports in possession of the police from the prosecution and insinuated that police officials may have vandalized one of his investigator’s cars, according to the article.

‘This should frighten every person in the city of Syracuse,’ Fitzpatrick said at the press conference.

The district attorney said he feels the police are trying ‘to deflect attention from what they did or didn’t do in 2002′ when former ball boy Bobby Davis said he first reported to the police that he was molested by Fine, according to the article. Fitzpatrick was upset that a witness’ statement was leaked to The Post-Standard for a story in Wednesday’s paper after Mayor Stephanie Miner said Monday that the police would not release information during the investigation of Fine.

Phone calls by The Daily Orange to the district attorney’s office and SPD were not returned immediately.

Davis’ ex-girlfriend, Danielle Roach, said in a sworn statement to the police Monday that she left messages with the Onondaga County District Attorney’s office in mid-2002 about an SU basketball coach molesting her friend, according to the article. Roach said in her statement that First Chief Assistant District Attorney Rick Trunfio did not return repeated phone messages she left after Davis was told by police that nothing could be done because he was too old.

Fitzpatrick said Wednesday that the leaking of Roach’s statement is a Class E felony because it is involved in a grand jury investigation, according to the article.

Fitzpatrick also accused Fowler and Broton of ‘intentionally trying to sabotage’ his office’s proper investigation of the Fine matter, which includes Davis’ allegations and what the police did in 2002 when David first reported them, according to the article.

rjgery@syr.edu

Published on November 22, 2011 at 12:00 pm

Contact Ryne: rjgery@syr.edu