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He plays a prank on a friend, but it's no joke to the police
By AMY WIMMER © St. Petersburg Times, published February 4, 2001 ST. PETE BEACH -- John Mallory thought he was playing a practical joke on his friend. St. Pete Beach police didn't find it funny. Back in October, Mallory, who drives a 1994 Chevrolet Caprice, a retired police cruiser that still has its spotlight and a functioning loud speaker system, flashed his headlights at a friend driving in front of him, hoping to spook the friend into thinking a cop was pulling him over. But Mallory timed his stunt poorly. Only days earlier, a 21-year-old woman was raped in St. Petersburg by a man who impersonated a police officer making a traffic stop in an unmarked car. St. Pete Beach police arrested Mallory and, even though maximum bail for impersonating a police officer is $500, his bond was set at $100,000 and eventually lowered to $50,000. His name appeared in local newspapers, along with an explanation that the high bond was set so officials could determine if Mallory was linked to the rape. "The whole thing was a rush to judgment," Mallory said. "And a good man's reputation falls by the wayside because of it." In a recent letter to St. Pete Beach officials, Mallory's attorney, John Trevena, said the arrest caused Mallory "extreme embarrassment, emotional trauma and financial loss." The letter warned city officials that Mallory plans to sue. Mallory, a singer who frequently performs in Las Vegas and has even done his share of Elvis impersonator gigs, said he is now more sheepish about performing. "It's destroyed my singing career," Mallory said. "Every time I walk out of the house, I think people are looking at me." The saga began the evening of Oct. 20, when Mallory was driving his retired cruiser over the Corey Causeway, entering St. Pete Beach. He recognized the car in front of him, and the driver was his friend, Steve Corley. The two were talking on a cellular phone, and Mallory told Corley he was still in Las Vegas. Mallory also told his friend to watch out for cops in St. Pete Beach. Soon Mallory flashed his headlights at his friend, who pulled over into the Walgreens parking lot on 75th Avenue in St. Pete Beach, where Corley realized the "cop" was his friend, Mallory. Meanwhile, two other drivers, who had read about the rape, watched the joke unfold. They immediately went to the St. Pete Beach police station just two blocks away, and minutes later, officers were on the scene and arrested Mallory on charges of impersonating a police officer. "There are certain jokes you don't do in public," police Chief Ray Kaminskas said. "This is obviously one of those." Kaminskas said items found in Corley's vehicle also suggested the Largo man enjoyed playing cop: He had a toy badge and a flashlight with a blue lens on it. Mallory insists the flashlight was inoperable and the badge was a gag gift from a friend. Mallory spent three days at the Pinellas County Jail while law enforcement officials tried to determine whether he was linked to the rape. His long stay puzzles Mallory, who is 6 feet 3 with blond hair. The rapist had been described as being about 5 feet 10 with dark hair and an olive complexion. A circuit judge threw out the charges of impersonating an officer, ruling there was no probable cause for the arrest because his friend Corley had told officers the incident was a joke. He was never charged with the rape. But Kaminskas said the city's insurance carrier, which would pay for an attorney if the city is sued over the incident, believes the police had probable cause for the arrest. Mallory's attorney disagrees. "It's really inexplicable," Trevena said. "I don't understand what the officer was thinking."
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
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