NYPD cop appears in court on murder-for-hire charges

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (FOX 5 NY) - Police Officer Valerie Cincinelli of the NYPD appeared in court in Central Islip on Friday to plead not guilty to charges in connection with a murder-for-hire plot that targeted her estranged husband and her boyfriend's daughter. 

While her family refused to speak with the media, Cincinelli's lawyer, James Kousouros, said he will continue to fight for her innocence.

"Our investigation has just begun," Kousouros said. "What needs to happen here is that everybody needs to afford this woman the presumption of innocence and wait a short while."

Cincinelli, 34, remains in custody after she was arrested at her home in Oceanside, Long Island, on May 17. The mother of two allegedly asked her boyfriend, John DiRubba, to help her carry out the murders of her ex-husband and DiRubba's teenage daughter.

According to court documents, Cincinelli withdrew $7,000 in February and gave it to DiRubba to hire a hit man. Instead, DiRubba alerted the FBI, who secretly recorded the couple's conversations.

However, Kousouros argued that DiRubba is not a credible source.

"The essential accuser, in this case, is an individual whose credibility will be very strenuously and very credibly attacked," he said.

Cincinelli is charged with two counts of murder-for-hire and one count of obstruction of justice after she allegedly tried to destroy cellphones containing evidence.

Cincinelli will remain in custody without bail, which Kousouros said he will put in an application for at a later date.

Prosecutors have until June 26 to hand over audio and video recordings as well as any additional evidence to defense counsel.