Crown Heights - Ex-DA on crumbling rape case: I had my doubts

Darrell Dula

The ex-prosecutor who led a rape case that’s now crumbling — and left a Brooklyn man behind bars for 10 months — said she doubted the accuser's credibility but her boss pressured her to move forward anyway.

Abbie Greenberger said she was handed the case in September 2011 — three months after Darrell Dula, 25, was indicted for being a part of a crew that of raped, beat and pimped out the alleged victim.

Greenberger said she found inconsistencies in the 22-year-old accuser’s account, but couldn’t convince her boss there was a problem.

“When I brought the inconsistencies to Lauren Hersh (chief of the sex-trafficking unit at the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office), I was told that I didn’t do my job right and that I’m trying to dismiss the case and that I should work harder,” Greenberger told the Daily News.

The case continued, but Greenberger said she grew more concerned after meeting with Dula six weeks ago. During their talk, he proclaimed his innocence, admitting he knew the alleged victim from his neighborhood but said he never raped her.

When she relayed that to Hersh, Greenberger recalled being told, “I guess we’ll have to take the case to trial.”

The DA’s Office declined to comment on Greenberger’s version of events.

Greenberger quit her job a few weeks ago to pursue a different line of work. She said the case had nothing to do with her departure and she still respects her former colleagues.

The Daily News reported Wednesday that Dula had his $50,000 bail cut and was released from jail this week after newly discovered documents showed the accuser recanted her rape allegation to detectives a day after making it.

Rebecca Gingold, Greenberger’s replacement on the case, recently discovered the recantation documents after noticing they were missing from the case file.

Greenberger said she didn’t know about the documents.

“I feel horrible about Dula,” she said. “Obviously, it’s very upsetting.”

Three other men — Damien Crooks, 32, Jamali Brockett, 28 and Jawara Brockett, 34, — were charged along with Dula in June 2011.

At the time, District Attorney Charles Hynes touted the indictments and praised the accuser for coming forward.

Dula’s alleged accomplices are still in jail and face additional sex-trafficking charges.

“The sex trafficking case against the other three defendants is not affected,” Hynes said Wednesday.

Dula said he has been traumatized by the 10 months in jail.


By Oren Yaniv / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS