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Long Island Men in High-Profile Cases Call for Federal Prosecutors to Handle Police Misconduct Investigations

Two men claiming to be victims of police misconduct on Long Island met in Uniondale Monday to call on federal prosecutors to handle similar cases in the future.

Christopher Loeb and Kyle Howell addressed reporters for the first time since major developments in their respective cases.

Last week, the former Suffolk police chief Loeb had accused of beating him in 2012 was arrested and held on federal civil rights charges.

"People may think I deserved it but I didn't. For 10 hours, I was in a room getting assaulted. I am glad he's getting what he deserves," Loeb said of former police chief James Burke.

Burke's lawyer Joseph Conway has called Loeb's claims "the fabrication of a two-time felon."

Kyle Howell, meanwhile, expressed frustration with last week's acquittal of the Nassau police officer he had accused of assaulting him during a 2014 traffic stop.

"Nassau police beat me and now it seems that they're going to get away with it," Howell said.

The Westbury man's lawyer is asking federal prosecutors to examine his case.

A spokesman for the U.S. attorney refused comment on that request.

The attorney for exonerated Nassau officer Vincent LoGiudice said his client used reasonable force.

When asked about the need for independent prosecutors in all police brutality cases, William Petrillo added, "You can never make a broad statement like that. Every case is an individual case."

Both Loeb and Howell were joined by their mothers at Monday's meeting with reporters.

Jane Loeb expressed continued faith in the justice system, despite alleged police threats against her.

"I have faith this chief will serve his time," Jane Loeb said. "Now he'll see how it feels on the inside."

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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