Digital Extra: The shooting of Sgt. Cornel Young Jr.

2.8.2000 07:03:12
AG panel includes minorities, veteran officers
PROVIDENCE —- Atty. Gen. Sheldon Whitehouse has appointed nine people to a criminal investigative team in the Sgt. Cornel Young Jr. case.

They include:

Providence police Sgt. Robert A. Bennett, a 34-year veteran, who is white, runs the department's internal affairs unit.

Wing Chow, a federal Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agent, is the brother of a Providence patrolman who responded to Young's shooting and found the gun waved by Aldrin Diaz. For brandishing the weapon, Diaz was charged with felony murder in Young's death.

Providence police Sgt. Francisco Colon, an officer since 1987, has been a night detective the last five years. He was recently promoted to sergeant and named supervisor of night detectives, the first Hispanic detective supervisor.

Providence police Detective Maurice Green, an officer since 1984, was shot in the leg in 1994 by the same man who fatally shot Sgt. Steven M. Shaw, the last Providence police officer killed in the line of duty.

Green, who is black, is a night detective. He used to work in the department's narcotics unit, where he partnered with Sgt. Tonya King and Sgt. Michael Harris, the two leaders of the Rhode Island Minority Police Association.

Providence police Detective Sgt. Vincent B. Mansolillo, a 21-year veteran, who is white, oversees the detectives who investigate major crimes that take place in the city's south side.

Providence police Detective Freddy E. Rocha, an officer since 1988, serves in the department's narcotics unit. In 1996, the National Association of Police Organizations honored him as one of the country's "top cops." Rocha was born in Bolivia. His wife, Providence police Detective Debra L. Silva-Rocha, is active in the Minority Police Association.

State police Sgt. Leroy Rose, a 13-year veteran assigned to the Detective Bureau's Major Crimes Unit. He is black.

State police Detective Shari Russell, the department's only black female officer. She recently was transferred to the Financial Crimes Unit from the Detective Bureau's Major Crimes Unit. Last summer, she investigated the murder of Angela Spence-Shaw in Little Compton. Russell, a seven-year state police veteran, is also a lawyer.

Providence police Detective Stephen J. Springer, an officer since 1968, investigates major crimes on the city's south side. Fellow Providence police say Springer, who is white, is the department's most experienced detective and also its finest. But some minorities in the city say he is unfair; they cite his work that led to the controversial murder conviction of Derick Hazard, who is black.

-- By W. ZACHARY MALINOWSKI and JONATHAN D. ROCKOFF

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