Corpse Photo on Facebook Was an Accident EMT expected to plead not guilty

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Cross-post from another listserver.

An EMT accused of taking a cell-phone photo of a corpse at a crime scene

and posting it on his Facebook page has pleaded not guilty to misconduct

charges.

Mark Musarella was charged with one count of official misconduct in a Staten

Island court and was released on his own recognizance today.

Defense lawyer J. Pavia said the photo was posted by accident, and

Musarella is sorry about the incident.

A retired police officer, Musarella lost his job as an EMT this year when

his superiors at Richmond University Medical Center on Staten Island learned

about the photograph.

Musarella was working for Richmond University Medical Center on March 30 and

responded to an emergency call on Staten Island. The victim, Caroline

Wimmer, was found strangled with her hair dryer.

Musarella snapped a picture of Wimmer's body and posted the image on his

Facebook page, prosecutors said.

Calvin Lawson, of Brooklyn, is accused of killing Wimmer in her West

Brighton apartment because she told his girlfriend that Lawson and Wimmer

were having an affair.

A lawyer for Wimmer's family says prosecuting Musarella will " keep society

civil. "

Musarella faces up to a year in jail if convicted.

Posted by the Associated Press / NBC New York

Thom Seeber, CCEMT-P