By John Marzulli New York Daily News
NYPD Detective Thomas Weiner
Detective Thomas Weiner died of pancreatic cancer in 2003 and finally awarded his pension Wednesday, which will be awarded to his widow. Famed NYPD Detective Thomas Weiner, who died of pancreatic cancer after heroically serving more than 60 hours in the poisonous World Trade Center ruins, has been posthumously awarded a line-of-duty pension, the Daily News has learned.
Weiner was promoted to detective second grade on his deathbed in 2003 by Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly. But later, the department’s medical board and city bureaucrats argued Weiner must have developed the deadly disease before 9/11 because some studies show it takes six years to metastasize.
Lawyer Jeffrey Goldberg convinced the medical board to change its findings and the NYPD Pension Board approved the tax-free pension on Wednesday. “They did the right thing,” said Goldberg of Port Washington, L.I., who produced medical documentation that showed there was no sign of cancer when Weiner had bariatric surgery in 2002.
Weiner was half of the storied crimefighting duo “Tom and Jerry” with partner Jerry Dassaro, who waged war on graffiti vandals and felons in the transit system.
Weiner’s widow will receive three-quarters of her husband’s salary at the time of his death instead of the 30% which was subject to taxes.
