In Our Opinion...

FBI Must Step Into Perez Case

It doesn’t require the wisdom of Solomon to recognize that neither the Mount Kisco Village Police, nor the Bedford Town Police Department, should be actively engaged in the investigation of the “death by homicide,” as determined by the Westchester Medical Examiner’s Office, of Rene Perez, in the early morning hours of April 29th. Given that officers from each department are acknowledged to have had contact with Mr. Perez, a well-known, homeless, alcoholic individual, between approximately 8:30 and 11:00pm on the evening of April 28th,
reasonableness, and professional investigative ethics, demand that a third-party agency investigation be conducted.

We believe the agency most appropriate, and best equipped to conduct the investigation into the circumstances of Rene Perez’ death is the Federal Bureau Of Investigation. Clearly, the information that has been forthcoming, from both the Mount Kisco and Bedford Departments, regarding a man with a long record of arrests, mostly for “quality of life offenses,” a man essentially viewed as a homeless vagrant, strongly suggests that a fresh, and unbiased perspective must be employed if every stone is to be turned, and the development of evidence is to go forward seriously. In fact, because it is strongly suspected that the injuries sustained by Perez which led to his death only hours later, might very well have been inflicted by police officers acting under Color of Law; and given the civil rights implications of such suspicions, it is imperative that the FBI get involved and conduct the investigation as early as possible.

Described by social workers and others who knew him, and who attempted to assist him, as a “reasonable and intelligent individual, when sober,” Rene Perez, was, nevertheless, arrested fifty-nine times over some twelve years in the Mount Kisco community, hardly a reputation that might compel a vigorous investigation, by local authorities, or the Westchester District Attorney’s Office.

We have recently, within the last two weeks, brought to the awareness of our readers the death of another man of color, like Perez, without roots in the Westchester Community. Oscar Nedd, the victim of a homicide more than thirty-two years ago, whose demise has been virtually treated by White Plains Police and the Westchester District Attorney’s Office as though it were a misdemeanor, hopefully, will finally receive the attention he has too long been denied.

Save for the dedicated work, over three decades, in retirement, by former White Plains Detective Austin Avery, the brutal killing of Mr. Nedd, a hardworking, young Black man of modest means from rural Georgia, living in White Plains, would never be brought before the Bar of Justice.

In light of all of the above, and given the unsolved deaths by strangulation of two other Guatemalan immigrants in Mount Kisco in 2003 and 2004, the death of Rene Perez demands immediate and deliberate intervention, and investigation, by the FBI.