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Former Syracuse Police Chief Dennis DuVal knew about Bernie Fine complaint in 2002
Published: Tuesday, November 29, 2011, 10:58 AM Updated: Tuesday, November 29, 2011, 12:31 PM
By Robert A. Baker / The Post-Standard The Post-Standard
Dennis DuVal, Syracuse’s former police chief and ex-Syracuse University basketball player, was aware in 2002 of child-molesting allegations against SU associate head basketball coach Bernie Fine, the current police chief said today.
Police Chief Frank Fowler issued a news release this morning saying DuVal was aware of the accusations from former SU ball boy Bobby Davis after Davis spoke to a Syracuse police detective in 2002.
» Read the full transcript of Chief Fowler's news release
"The Syracuse Police Chief at that time, Dennis DuVal, was made aware of the allegations against Bernie Fine," Fowler said in a long explanation of the city's handling of the call.
DuVal refused to answer any questions Monday when contacted by a Post-Standard reporter.
He wouldn’t say whether he was aware of the accusations in 2002, nor whether he’d talked to any law enforcement offcials in the past two weeks, when Davis’ allegations became public.
When reached by phone Monday, DuVal said, "I’m not going to talk to you about it. I hope you respect that. It’s been a long time. I’m not going to get into a discussion about that. Not gonna happen."
DuVal played for SU from 1972 to 1974. Fine became assistant basketball coach at SU in 1976.
DuVal retired as police chief in August 2004 after serving in that capacity for three years and working for the department for 26 years. He could not be reached today following Fowler's news release.
DuVal played two seasons in the National Basketball Association -- one year with the Washington Bullets and a year with the Atlanta Hawks. His career ended in 1976 with the now-defunct Syracuse Centennials of the Eastern Basketball Association.
The question of who knew about the allegations in 2002 is the subject of an investigation by the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office. District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said his office was never told.
Fowler's statement confirms some of the details provided to The Post-Standard in 2002 by Davis and his former girlfriend, Danielle Roach of Camillus, but differs in some small aspects.
Enlarge The Post-Standard September 22, 2002 - Syracuse Police Chief Dennis Duval takes questions from reporters during tonight's press conference to announce the arrest of two suspects in the rape of a 9 year-old girl in Syracuse. Suzanne Dunn / The Post-Standard
Dennis DuVal: Former Syracuse police chief and Syracuse Orange basketball star gallery (23 photos)
The chief said that Roach contacted an attorney, who gave her the name of Syracuse police Detective Doug Fox of the Abused Persons Unit.
The attorney notified Fox that he may be getting a phone call from a female who wanted to speak to him about a sexual abuse case, Fowler said. He said several weeks later, Roach contacted Fox and told him that Bernie Fine had sexually abused her friend.
About a month later, Fox took a call from Davis - whom Fowler did not identify in his release - who told the detective he was calling from Utah, Fowler said. In a brief phone conversation, the alleged victims said Bernie Fine had sexually abused him while growing up and the abuse had occurred while he stayed at the Fine home, the chief said.
Davis told the detective the abuse had occurred at least 12 years earlier, Fowler said. Fox informed the victim the statute of limitations had expired and authorities would be precluded by law from making an arrest, Fowler said.
The chief said that Fox told the victim that if he wished to meet with him in person, or if he was aware of any current victims, he would like the victim to share additional information. The victim believed he knew the first names of possible victims and that if he learned their last names, he would call back, Fowler said.
"Det. Fox notified his supervisor in the Abused Persons Unit and it was decided that unless the victim met with the detective or the victim was able to provide names of other victims, then an investigation would not be initiated," Fowler said. "The Syracuse Police chief at that time, Dennis DuVal, was made aware of the allegations against Bernie Fine. Due to the fact that no investigation was started, Det. Fox did not prepare any formal reports."
In October 2002, Davis told The Post-Standard he had called Fox about the alleged abuse. The phone call lasted three to five minutes, Davis said in the interview. He told Fox he'd been sexually abused by someone who worked at Syracuse University, Davis said.
"He said, 'When did this happen to you?'" Davis recalled in a 2002 interview. "I said, 'A long time ago.' (Fox) said, 'We really can't do anything for you ... you're too old now.'"
Davis said he never identified Fine as the abuser in his conversation with Fox, and that Fox never asked for a name. He said he didn't recall Fox ever saying Fine's name, either.
"I said, 'Do you know anything about this?' (Fox) goes, 'Go on, I have a pretty good idea who you are talking about, '" Davis said. "I said, 'Do you know who I'm talking about?' He said, 'I kind of have a good idea.'"
Davis said he called the police while he was living in Utah in the summer of 2002. He was driving when he made the call, he said.
Davis, in his 2002 interview with The Post-Standard, said Fox asked him if he knew of any minors who had been abused by the same man. Davis said he told Fox he didn't know for sure if the abuser had molested anyone else. But Davis said he provided the detective with the names of some youths who were friends of Fine's sons and who hung around Fine's house.
Davis said he told Fox that Fine was exhibiting some of the same behaviors that he had with Davis: demanding to see the children's report cards and grabbing their legs.
"I said, 'No, I don't know anything for sure. I just see symptoms that something might be happening, '" Davis said he told Fox.
Davis said the detective told him to call back if he ever knew for sure.
In November 2002, police spokesman Sgt. Thomas Connellan told The Post-Standard that the police department had never opened an investigation of Fine. Connellan would not comment then on whether Davis had called police and made an allegation that he was a victim of sexual abuse.
"We don't have an investigation, nor did we ever have an investigation," Connellan said then.
Roach gave a sworn statement Nov. 21 of this year to Syracuse police saying that after police did not initiate an investigation, she called an assistant district attorney multiple times in 2002 and left messages about an SU basketball coach sexually abusing a friend of hers.
John O'Brien contributed to this story. Contact John O'brien at jobrien@syracuse.com or 470-2187.
