October 21, 2005

DILLON ANNOUNCES:

ADDITIONAL CHARGES FILED AGAINST MURDER DEFENDANT

Nassau County District Attorney Denis Dillon announced today that additional charges have been filed against Reginald Gousse, 32, of 238-55 148th Drive, Rosedale for assaulting a Corrections Officer and for stealing a handcuff key.

According to Dillon, "On October 5, 2005 Gousse was taken to the Brooklyn Court System to appear before a Judge on other legal matters. While in Brooklyn, Gousse assaulted a New York City Corrections Officer and stole a handcuff key. Gousse was taken for an x-ray to try an ascertain where the key had gone. The x-ray in Brooklyn was negative. He was then brought back to the Nassau County Jail in East Meadow where he was thoroughly searched. During the course of that search it was discovered that there was a metal object in the sneaker of Gousse. He then assaulted a Nassau County Corrections Officer and retrieved his sneaker. During the struggle, Gousse was able to retrieve and swallow the hand cuff key. He was then brought for an x-ray where it was determined that he had in fact swallowed the handcuff key."

As a result of these actions, the DA’s Office working with the assistance of the Nassau County Sheriff’s Department, Nassau County Police Department and the Kings County District Attorney’s Office have filed additional charges, which include: Robbery in the Second Degree, a Class C Violent Felony; two counts of Assault in the Second Degree, a Class D Violent Felony; two counts of Promoting Prison Contraband in the First Degree, a Class D Felony; and Tampering with Physical Evidence, a Class E Felony. Gousse will be arraigned on these charges later today in First District Court in Hempstead.

"Gousse is currently in remand status and pending trial for the murder and attempted robbery of James Gottlieb," said Dillon. "On January 5, 2005 at approximately 7:06 p.m. Reginald Gousse shot and killed and attempted to rob James Gottlieb while pretending to be a police officer in an unmarked car. The incident took place on Semton Boulevard in Franklin Square. Gottlieb was transported to Mercy Hospital in Rockville Centre, where he died at 8:14 p.m. Gousse was indicted by a Grand Jury in March of 2005 for one count of Murder in the First Degree and one count of Murder in the Second Degree (Felony), both Class A Felonies, one count of Attempted Robbery in the First Degree, a Class C Felony, and one count of Criminal Impersonation in the First Degree, a Class E Felony. If convicted of these charges, Gousse faces life in prison without the possibility of parole."

The charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.