Sgnt. David Rodriguez (NBC News Anchor husband) Rape charges?
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. - A police sergeant in Westchester County pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a charge that he raped a 17-year-old girl.
Sgt. David Rodriguez was arraigned on a first-degree rape charge before New Rochelle City Judge Preston Scher and posted $25,000 bail.
Rodriguez, a nine year police veteran, is married to Darlene Rodriguez, co-anchor of WNBC-TV's 'Today in New York.'
'I'm here to support my husband. I believe in him. I love him. He's innocent 100 percent,' Darlene Rodriguez said at a news conference outside court.
Earlier, she was seen in tears outside the courtroom.
New Rochelle Police Commissioner Patrick Carroll said last month that the teen had alleged that after four officers arrested her live-in boyfriend on a domestic violence charge, one of them returned and attacked her.
She reported the alleged incident when she went to the district attorney's office and tried to get charges against her boyfriend dismissed.
Rodriguez's lawyer, Stephen Worth, said outside court Wednesday that the investigation had been conducted 'in a rather slip shod fashion.'
'This is a false allegation,' he said. 'The complainant has a number of motives to make a false allegation,' he said.
Rodriguez was suspended without pay on Wednesday.
Carroll has said the sergeant 'has a sterling record.'
Sgt. David Rodriguez was arraigned on a first-degree rape charge before New Rochelle City Judge Preston Scher and posted $25,000 bail.
Rodriguez, a nine year police veteran, is married to Darlene Rodriguez, co-anchor of WNBC-TV's 'Today in New York.'
'I'm here to support my husband. I believe in him. I love him. He's innocent 100 percent,' Darlene Rodriguez said at a news conference outside court.
Earlier, she was seen in tears outside the courtroom.
New Rochelle Police Commissioner Patrick Carroll said last month that the teen had alleged that after four officers arrested her live-in boyfriend on a domestic violence charge, one of them returned and attacked her.
She reported the alleged incident when she went to the district attorney's office and tried to get charges against her boyfriend dismissed.
Rodriguez's lawyer, Stephen Worth, said outside court Wednesday that the investigation had been conducted 'in a rather slip shod fashion.'
'This is a false allegation,' he said. 'The complainant has a number of motives to make a false allegation,' he said.
Rodriguez was suspended without pay on Wednesday.
Carroll has said the sergeant 'has a sterling record.'
