A Manhattan judge granted an unusual favor to a camera-shy accused child rapist today: a special escort out of the courthouse so he could dodge news cameras.
"I accommodated a defense lawyer's preference not to have him photographed," Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Ronald Zweibel told The Post when asked about the special treatment for Darrin Nemelc, a former NYPD officer who is on trial in Zweibel's courtroom.
Zweibel let Nemelc leave the courthouse using non-public hallways -- areas off limits to anyone but court staff and prisoners.
A Manhattan jury had just begun hearing testimony against Nemelc, a 45-year-old father of four from Washington Heights who served as a cop for seven years before quitting and becoming a transit worker.
Nemelc is accused of rape, criminal sex act and sex abuse for allegedly taking advantage of a 14-year-old runaway who he'd found sobbing on a bench near his apartment at 1 in the morning New Year's day, 2011.
Nemelc has insisted that all he'd done was let "the little white girl" use his bathroom after finding her "acting weird and spaced out, and crying," according to his statements to cops.
His DNA turned up in saliva swabbed from the girl's breast. But saliva from two other unidentified individuals was also present, complicating the case.
"She's had a history of psychiatric illness and delusions, and has previously falsely accused staff of assault and rape," defense lawyer Kimberly Summers said of the girl, whose name is being withheld.
Testimony in the sad case continues tomorrow; Nemelc remains free on $100,000 bail.
Accused child rapist gets special escort from court to dodge cameras
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Accused child rapist gets special escort from court to dodge cameras
