ARCHIVE

Natasha Vaughn reports for Columbia-Greene Media that about 30 people, many with "Justice for Harold" signs, marched in Kinderhook Sept. 26 to try and bring light to a police-involved beating from July. Little information is still known about the beating Harold Handy took at a July 4th party at the home of a Columbia County Deputy Sheriff. The party where the beating occurred was hosted by Sheriff’s Deputy Kelly Rosenstrach and her husband, ClubLife gym owner Alex Rosenstrach. The Columbia County Sheriff's Office, despite an apparent conflict of interest, was initially investigating the matter, though the State Police now have the investigation. Rosenstrach was placed on administrative leave, but her current status, and if she is being paid, is unknown. State police spokesperson Kristin Lowman said Sept. 25 there was nothing new to report about the incident. Christian Svenningsen, of Stuyvesant, said at the rally, “Clearly, he had been beaten almost to death; he was literally almost dead and they didn’t come back to investigate for three days. You can’t help also but to feel a bit afraid that if this can go around, am I safe? If I don’t act the way some people think I ought to act, is this going to happen to me? Here I am standing up, does that make me a target?“ WGXC's Philip Grant attended the rally, and made these recordings of Handy’s father, also named Harold Handy, Lee Jamison of Stuyvesant, and another demonstrator, Donald Slovak. Click here to download or play audio of the recording from the rally.