New York Cop Finally Quits—More Than a Year After He Broke Into a Woman's Home and Threatened Her
Michael Reynolds was charged with aggravated burglary and assault because of the incursion.
A year and a half after an incident that got him charged in Nashville with aggravated burglary and assault, a New York cop has quit the force. The news comes just days after the New York Police Department (NYPD) announced that it would finally question the officer about the incident.
According to court documents, NYPD officer Michael Reynolds traveled to Nashville in July 2018 for a bachelor party with six other men, two of whom were fellow NYPD officers. The men stayed at an Airbnb over the weekend, which was next to the home of Conese Halliburton.
On July 9, just before 2:30 a.m., a drunken Reynolds stood outside of Halliburton's front door and began to yell. Halliburton, who was inside the home with her four sons, called the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Reynolds kicked the door in and fought Halliburton's dogs. He began to yell that this was his home, and he kept approaching the family, which was now gathered in the hallway. Halliburton, who is black, later testified that Reynolds, who is white, threatened to shoot the family and called them the n-word before leaving the house. Video from a neighbor's surveillance camera confirmed this, showing Reynolds shouting "I'll break your fucking neck" and using racial slurs.
After several minutes of this threatening behavior, Reynolds fled. The Nashville police arrived a few minutes after the New Yorker left.
The next day, while Halliburton was asking the neighbor if he would check his surveillance footage of the night before, Reynolds and the others in his group approached them. The NYPD officers joked about having immunity. Halliburton called the Nashville police to inform them that she recognized Reynolds. The group left before the patrols arrived.
Reynolds maintained that he had no memory of the event, saying he'd had too much to drink. In December, he was sentenced to two weeks in jail and three years probation.
In the legal proceedings, Halliburton said: "My boys wouldn't have a choice to sit and break into anybody's house, and get away with it….He should be treated just like anybody else would."
Reynolds remained on the force despite his sentence. The NYPD initially justified this by stating that he was on modified duty. But it finally announced that it would question Reynolds this week—and shortly afterward, on Thursday, the department revealed that Reynolds was quitting the force. He will not be eligible to receive pension or health benefits, nor will he be allowed to carry a firearm.
"Michael Reynolds is a violent and dangerous racist who has no business carrying either a badge or a gun," says Daniel Horwitz, Halliburton's lawyer, who adds that "we are all frankly dumbfounded" that he had not already been fired.