1960s Timeline

Aug. 29, 1961 - A New York County Grand jury reported today that it had found "no evidence of criminality" in the death of a suspected rapist in a police cell last month. The panel had investigated charges that police brutality had caused the prisoner's death. The prisoner, Anthony Colon, a 32-year-old merchant seaman, was found dead at the West 20th Street station two hours after he had been charged with the rape of an 8-year-old girl. An autopsy showed that Colon had died o

Aug. 21, 1961 - In the first 6 months of this year, 1,171 New York City policemen were attacked while trying to make arrests. From July 1 through August 14, these assaults increased in incidence and viciousness. In that 45-day period, 133 policemen were injured - almost double the 69 hurt during the corresponding period in 1960. What the police cannot understand is why, when they corner three teenaged boys carrying loaded shotguns - as two patrolmen did on Aug. 14 in the Bron

Aug. 8, 1961 - In Brooklyn today, Kings County Judge Samuel S. Leibowitz (pictured) made good his threat to deal harshly with attackers of policemen. He sentenced Rafael Appelaniz, 21, to seven and a half to fifteen years in Sing Sing Prison, terming him "a thug and a wild animal." Appelaniz had pleaded guilty to charges of second-degree assault and carrying a dangerous weapon. Patrolman Daniel Scavone charged that on May 28, Appelaniz slashed him with a 15-inch bayonet while

July 31, 1961 - New York City Police Commissioner Michael J. Murphy today denounced recent attacks upon policemen. Mr. Murphy said 1,780 policemen, nearly five a day, had been assaulted while carrying out their duties in the last 12 months. The latest near-riot occurred Friday night in Harlem. Stones, garbage and bottles were hurled at policemen from the street and roofs as they sought to break up a disturbance on West 125th St. "All too often, what begins as an arrest for a

July 28, 1961 - Scattered violence and milling crowds disrupted Harlem last night. A police riot call brought reinforcements to the troubled area. Eighty members of the Tactical Patrol Force were called to duty. In all, more than 200 policemen were patrolling the area. Garbage and pop bottles were hurled off tenement roofs onto policemen. Nine shop windows on 125th Street were broken. There was looting at several shops and several warning shots were fired during countless mel