10-18-2007, 12:48 AM
By DAVID OVALLE
dovalle@MiamiHerald.com
Miami Beach internal affairs detectives are investigating two videos posted on YouTube.com that show a recently arrested officer hanging out at a South Beach bar while in uniform.
The videos show Eduardo Macias, who was arrested in August and is accused of fondling a woman charged with DUI and is accused of drinking with that woman while in uniform at a restaurant. The videos were posted by someone identified only as ``dafi1210.''
One 59-second clip shows what appears to be Macias surrounded by cheering revelers at the bar Fat Tuesday's.
The second clip, 11 seconds long, shows Macias in the same scene talking to a young woman holding a plastic cup. Macias is in uniform in both clips.
Miami Beach Sgt. Robert Hernandez, a spokesman, confirmed the video clips have been sent to the internal affairs unit.
''Even though on the video there is no violation of any department rules, it doesn't put the department in a good light,'' he said.
``The chief would rather see his officers assisting a group of school children crossing the street rather than fraternizing with patrons at a club.''
CHARGES
Macias has been charged with official misconduct, perjury and battery in connection with the DUI incident. He has pleaded not guilty.
His case is being handled by Monroe County prosecutors because his wife works as a secretary at the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office.
His defense attorney, Christopher Lyons, did not immediately return a phone call from The Miami Herald.
According to authorities, Macias pulled over a woman in August 2006, fondled her, kissed her and suggested she not agree to a breath test in order to beat the DUI charge. Later, while wearing a police recorder, she agreed to a date at Mango's Tropical Café in South Beach, where Macias worked off-duty security. While in full uniform, he drank two Cape Codders: vodka, cranberry juice and lime juice.
The woman's attorney, Mike Catalano, had not seen the videos until alerted by a reporter on Wednesday.
''Generally, police officers don't go into bars. It's asking for trouble. What is he doing in the bar? Playing with that woman? Maybe he's hitting on her,'' he said.
SUSPENSION
Personnel files show that Macias was suspended in 2004 for four days after admitting to drinking while in uniform at a nightclub where he worked off-duty security.
Employees at the nightclub B.E.D. told internal affairs detectives that Macias was at the bar ''drinking and partying'' with another officer, who later got into a fight with a security guard there.
'Macias acknowledged being involved in a divorce and custody battle for four months before the incident and ordered a Jack and Coke and `chugged it down,' '' according to an internal affairs report.
He left the off-duty job at B.E.D. and completed a stress-management class.
Macias has also been reprimanded twice for failing to appear in court.
dovalle@MiamiHerald.com
Miami Beach internal affairs detectives are investigating two videos posted on YouTube.com that show a recently arrested officer hanging out at a South Beach bar while in uniform.
The videos show Eduardo Macias, who was arrested in August and is accused of fondling a woman charged with DUI and is accused of drinking with that woman while in uniform at a restaurant. The videos were posted by someone identified only as ``dafi1210.''
One 59-second clip shows what appears to be Macias surrounded by cheering revelers at the bar Fat Tuesday's.
The second clip, 11 seconds long, shows Macias in the same scene talking to a young woman holding a plastic cup. Macias is in uniform in both clips.
Miami Beach Sgt. Robert Hernandez, a spokesman, confirmed the video clips have been sent to the internal affairs unit.
''Even though on the video there is no violation of any department rules, it doesn't put the department in a good light,'' he said.
``The chief would rather see his officers assisting a group of school children crossing the street rather than fraternizing with patrons at a club.''
CHARGES
Macias has been charged with official misconduct, perjury and battery in connection with the DUI incident. He has pleaded not guilty.
His case is being handled by Monroe County prosecutors because his wife works as a secretary at the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office.
His defense attorney, Christopher Lyons, did not immediately return a phone call from The Miami Herald.
According to authorities, Macias pulled over a woman in August 2006, fondled her, kissed her and suggested she not agree to a breath test in order to beat the DUI charge. Later, while wearing a police recorder, she agreed to a date at Mango's Tropical Café in South Beach, where Macias worked off-duty security. While in full uniform, he drank two Cape Codders: vodka, cranberry juice and lime juice.
The woman's attorney, Mike Catalano, had not seen the videos until alerted by a reporter on Wednesday.
''Generally, police officers don't go into bars. It's asking for trouble. What is he doing in the bar? Playing with that woman? Maybe he's hitting on her,'' he said.
SUSPENSION
Personnel files show that Macias was suspended in 2004 for four days after admitting to drinking while in uniform at a nightclub where he worked off-duty security.
Employees at the nightclub B.E.D. told internal affairs detectives that Macias was at the bar ''drinking and partying'' with another officer, who later got into a fight with a security guard there.
'Macias acknowledged being involved in a divorce and custody battle for four months before the incident and ordered a Jack and Coke and `chugged it down,' '' according to an internal affairs report.
He left the off-duty job at B.E.D. and completed a stress-management class.
Macias has also been reprimanded twice for failing to appear in court.