He’s Jailed For Canine’s Attack
A 43-year-old Astoria man who represented himself at trial has been sentenced to 12 years to life in prison for assaulting a police officer in August 2010 by ordering a pit bull to attack the officer in an effort to prevent arrest.
Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown identified the defendant as Jeffrey Cofield, 43, of 28th Avenue in Astoria. He was sentenced to 12 years to life in prison by Queens Supreme Court Justice John B. Latella, who presided over a threeday, non-jury trial last month in which Cofield was convicted of two counts of second-degree assault and one count of obstructing governmental administration.
“[Cofield] used his pit bull as a four-legged weapon to attack a police officer. This case once again underscores the serious and dangerous nature of police work and the sacrifices that our police officers make in serving and protecting our city,” Brown said. “Given the violent nature of the attack, and the fact that the defendant is a persistent felony offender, the lengthy sentence meted out by the court is more than justified.”
According to trial testimony, as members of an NYPD narcotics team chased an unapprehended individual into an apartment at 28th Avenue on the afternoon of Aug. 2, 2010, Cofield was observed in the apartment holding a pit bull by its collar.
When Sgt. Craig Kearney entered the apartment, Cofield released his grip on the pit bull and shouted, “Get him.” The pit bull ran toward Sgt. Kearney and bit him on the face, causing puncture wounds to the officer’s cheek and jaw, before Cofield grabbed the pit bull’s collar and allowed Kearney to escape further injury.
The pit bull was then secured inside a bathroom and Kearney was taken to a local Queens hospital where he received medical treatment for his wounds.
Assistant District Attorneys Eleonora Rivkin and Ajay Chheda of District Attorney Brown’s Narcotics Investigations Bureau, prosecuted the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Wilbert J. LeMelle, bureau chief, Karen J. Friedman, deputy chief, and Philip D. Anderson, supervisor, and the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Investigations Peter A. Crusco and Deputy Executive Assistant District Attorney for Investigations Linda M. Cantoni.
