Rikers Island inmate tried to kill cop before trial

A Rikers Island inmate has been charged with orchestrating a jailhouse plot to hire a “hit man” to kill a New York City police officer in order to prevent him from testifying at his upcoming trial. A second man has also been charged for his alleged participation in the conspiracy.
The defendants have been identified as Andrew J. Spencer, 23, of 115-36 159th Street in Jamaica, and Kiyee Kye, 23, of 157-14 115th Road, also in Jamaica.
Spencer, who has been held at Rikers Island in lieu of $750,000 bail since August 2006, and Kye have each been charged with conspiracy in the second degree (to commit murder), criminal facilitation in the second degree, criminal solicitation in the second degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree. If convicted, they each face up to 25 years in prison.
In the underlying case, Spencer was arrested on August 16, 2006, when an off-duty police officer (whose name is being withheld) witnessed a violent confrontation in front of his house between the defendant Spencer and another man. When the police officer attempted to intercede, Spencer allegedly punched him in the face and pointed a loaded .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun at him. The police officer responded by pulling out his own weapon, identifying himself as a police officer at least three times and ordering Spencer to drop his gun. After doing as instructed, Spencer allegedly took out money and offered it to the officer, stating, “I’ll give you money. I can’t get locked up. I’m on parole.”
Spencer was charged in that case with second- and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, third-degree assault, second-degree menacing, endangering the welfare of a child and second-degree harassment. He is currently awaiting trial for that crime and may face 15 years in prison if convicted.
According to the latest charges, Spencer is alleged to have said in a recorded conversation on April 21 that he was seeking to find a hit man to murder the police officer in exchange for $1,000 in cash and two automobiles - a Lexus and a Jeep - and that the defendant Kye would supply the weapons to commit the crime. Later that day, an undercover officer met with Kye at his house and allegedly was provided with a bulletproof vest at Spencer’s request.
On May 1, a search warrant was executed on Kye’s Jamaica home and among the items recovered were a loaded .9mm Smith and Wesson handgun and a loaded semi-automatic assault rifle with a bayonet mount and a flash suppressor.
Spencer and Kye were arraigned and ordered to return to court on May 17.