Updated 09/08/2010 06:13 PM
Former NYPD Officer Pleads Guilty To Vehicular Manslaughter
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A former city police officer entered a guilty plea Wednesday in connection with a crash that killed a 32-year-old woman in Brooklyn.
Andrew Kelly pleaded guilty to a charge of vehicular manslaughter for the death of Vionique Valnord.
When the judge asked if the former officer accepted the fact that his drunk driving caused a woman's death, he quietly answered "Yes."
"If you drink and drive, you will go to jail. You will be found guilty of a felony," said Valnord's family's attorney, Sanford Rubenstein. "And you will lose your job. The family believes the important part of this plea, of guilty to a felony, is that he accepted responsibility for what he did."
Immediately after the guilty plea, Kelly approached the victim's father, the Reverend Varius Valnord, and the two spoke in hushed voices and shook hands.
Vionique Valnord
"The reverend told Andrew, 'I forgive you. We forgive you,'" said Kelly's attorney, Arthur Aidala. "I don't want any more pain to be caused to anybody. And Andrew said, 'That was more generous than I could ever have imagined.'"
"He apologized to me and then I accepted his apology," said the reverend. "So I believe he's sorry for what he's done."
Kelly will be formally sentenced on September 24, but the judge said he will serve 90 days in jail and five years' probation. He must also complete an alcohol rehabilitation program.
When Kelly is allowed to get his license back in a year, he will have to install a breathalyzer ignition lock.
Valnord was trying to hail a cab in Brooklyn last September after leaving a wedding, when Kelly, who was off duty, allegedly struck her with his car.
Kelly initially refused to take a breathalyzer and it was seven hours before he gave a blood sample for testing. At that point, it showed no signs of alcohol in his system.
The Valnord family is suing the city and New York City Police Department, claiming officers who responded to the scene tried to cover up for the officer.
Kelly officially resigned from the force as of Friday.