STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – West Brighton singer Rachel Velazquez is sitting in a Rikers Island jail cell awaiting trial on charges accusing her of murdering her husband 15 months ago in their home.
But cops are the real criminals, Velazquez alleges in an explosive million-dollar lawsuit against the city and NYPD.
Police “stole” more than $150,000 in jewelry, as well as sheet music and audio recordings of songs she had written, from a safe in her home, allege a notice of claim filed with the city comptroller’s office and a civil complaint.
The sheet music and recordings have a purported value of at $1 million or more.
Police allegedly removed the safe during their investigation into Fidel (Phil) Velazquez’s fatal stabbing during the early morning hours of Oct. 18, 2018.
Afterward, cops told Velazquez’s criminal defense lawyer they had opened the safe and it was empty, alleges the civil complaint.
“That means that after the police confiscated the safe, they appropriated its contents, since when the police took the safe it contained the items described in (the civil complaint),” the suit alleges.
The jewelry consisted of expensive diamond chains, rings, bracelets, earrings and other items, said the complaint.
Recently filed in state Supreme Court, St. George, the suit seeks at least $1 million in “general damages,” plus punitive damages of at least six times the amount of any general damages awarded.
The suit is filed under Velazquez’s maiden name, “Rachel A. Walsh.”
The civil suit comes as Velazquez, 40, awaits trial in her criminal case, also in state Supreme Court, St. George.
Fidel (Phil) Velazquez was fatally stabbed during the early morning hours of Oct. 18, 2018.
No date has been set.
Velazquez is being held without bail. Her next court date is Feb. 10.
According to police and a criminal complaint, the defendant stabbed her husband in the abdomen around 4:30 a.m., causing a large wound and bleeding.
Police responded at 4:40 a.m. to what sources called a drunken dispute at the couple's home.
Fidel Velazquez, 43, was found bleeding and lying face up in front of their residence and liquor store on the 700 block of Henderson Avenue.
He was taken to Richmond University Medical Center, West Brighton, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Neighbors said the couple, who owned Love Liquors and Wine, were known for their explosive altercations over the years.
The store is situated on the ground floor at the same address where they live.
An NYPD spokesman confirmed multiple domestic-related incidents at the address.
Jeff Chabrowe, Velazquez’s current criminal defense lawyer, has said in court she was a domestic-abuse victim and killed her husband in self-defense.
Outside of the business, Velazquez for years pursued a career in the music industry under the stage name “Angel.”
She released a 2012 album on iTunes and Spotify and gained 70,000 followers on social media.
An artist bio on Top40-Charts.com reads, “She is a great inspiration to many great geniuses from famous musicians to famous brands.”
Velazquez’s civil complaint alleges cops wronged her on several fronts.
Police “unlawfully carried away” her personal property and converted it “to their own use,” alleges the complaint.
In addition, police violated Velazquez’s Constitutional rights by an “unreasonable” search and seizure of her personal property “without due process,” the civil complaint alleges.
Her jewelry took a lifetime to accumulate and is “cherished,” contends the complaint.
Velazquez alleges the loss of her songs, “composed over many years” has emotionally shattered her.
Those tunes “gave her access to recording contracts and possibly having smash hits,” the complaint alleges.
Besides her own valuables, police confiscated her husband’s $3,000 black leather bag which contained another $40,000 in jewelry, alleges the complaint.
The losses have been reported to the Police Department’s Internal Affairs Bureau, the notice of claim said.
That form accuses police of stealing the jewelry and other items in the safe.
Stephen A. Katz, Velazquez’s civil lawyer, did not immediately respond to a phone call seeking comment.
Chabrowe, the criminal-defense attorney, declined comment on the lawsuit. Chabrowe did not represent Velazquez at the time of her arrest.
The NYPD referred all inquiries on the suit to the city Law Department.
In an email, a Law Department spokesman said, “Before all the facts are in, we don’t know if these allegations have any merit. We’ll thoroughly review the case.”
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Alleged spouse-killing singer’s bombshell suit: Cops stole my jewelry, sheet music, recordings - SILive.com
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