Cuffed Queens pol arraigned on rape
Makes bail & vows 'I'll be vindicated' as wife watches; DA sez
Saturday, August 4th 2007, 4:00 AM
City Councilman Dennis Gallagher leaves the court with his wife, Donna, after making bail.
City Councilman Dennis Gallagher surrendered to police yesterday and was arraigned in handcuffs before a Queens judge on 10 counts of rape, assault and sex charges.
With his wife watching from the audience, the Middle Village councilman held his head high as a clerk read off charges that Gallagher raped a 52-year-old grandmother in his district office last month.
"I shall be vindicated," a defiant Gallagher told the Daily News seconds after pleading not guilty and making $200,000 in bail. "I am innocent of these charges."
Gallagher, who faces up to 25 years in jail if convicted, walked out of the courtroom with his brother, his wife and his lawyer at his side to face a slew of television and newspaper photographers.
The councilman, 43, is charged with meeting the woman on July 8 at one of his favorite watering holes, Danny Boy's, where he offered to drive her home.
Instead, he took her to his office on Metropolitan Ave. and forced her to have sex, cops said.
Gallagher testified before a grand jury for two hours on Wednesday and underwent intense grilling from Queens prosecutor Kenneth Appelbaum. He admitted the encounter happened but insisted it was consensual, sources said.
"It's a relief," Gallagher's alleged victim said while watching him walk into court on television. She declined further comment.
"The allegations are very troubling - particularly because they involve the actions of a public official who has a special responsibility to uphold and obey the law," said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown, adding that Gallagher should think about resigning.
"It seems to me ... that his ability to represent his councilmatic district and to function as a legislator has been seriously impaired by these allegations," Brown said.
Gallagher, who is term-limited in 2009, said he would not step down, but he resigned as council minority whip and gave up his committee assignments.
His only defenders seemed to be the crowd at Danny Boy's.
"It's like he's already been convicted," said one fellow drinker, who would only give his first name, Eddie. "Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty?"
With Kirsten Danis and Peter Kadushin
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