How Africa News
A former NYPD officer who terrorized a Nashville woman after forcing his way into her home in a drunken stupor has been ordered to pay the woman $1 million.
A federal judge ordered ex-cop Michael J. Reynolds to pay $1 million to Conese Halliburton when he rendered his verdict on a civil suit over the July 9, 2018, incident.
Reynolds and other NYPD officers were staying in an Airbnb next to Halliburton’s home the night of the incident. They had traveled to Nashville, Tennessee to celebrate an officer’s bachelor party.
Halliburton was home with her sons when Reynolds kicked in her front door and barged into her home. Reynolds can be seen on surveillance video using racial slurs, screaming and threatening the family.
In the video, Reynolds can be heard saying, “Try to shoot me, and I’ll break every f—ing bone in your f—ing neck,” before calling them “f—ing n——.”
The cop later said he confused Halliburton’s address with the Airbnb that he and his friends were staying at next door when he barged into the woman’s home.
According to Halliburton’s testimony, when she confronted Reynolds the next day about the break-in he laughed it off and apologized.
“We are police from New York. You don’t need to make a big deal about it. We were just drinking,” said Officer Thomas Geberth, according to court testimony, during the confrontation.
Reynolds was sentenced to 15 days in jail after pleading guilty to assault and trespassing charges.
Nashville attorney Daniel A. Horwitz, who represented Halliburton, said it was unlikely Halliburton would collect the full amount of money owed to her since Reynolds declared bankruptcy. She created a GoFundMe online fundraiser earlier this year to help with legal costs.
