Retired FDNY Capt. James Rogers charged in deadly attack in Bay Shore parking lot

A retired FDNY captain from Babylon pleaded not guilty to a first-degree manslaughter charge after police said he attacked another man outside a church in Bay Shore on Thursday night, allegedly striking the victim "multiple times" with his fists in a disagreement over money.

The violence happened outside the Bay Shore United Methodist Church on East Main Street at about 8:45 p.m., according to authorities.

Suffolk County police said suspect James Rogers, 66, and victim Mark Iacono, 65, of Patchogue, were "acquainted."

Iacono was transported to South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore, where he was pronounced dead, according to authorities. Iacono's family couldn't be immediately reached Friday by phone.

Police said Rogers remained on the scene, where they arrested him.

Rogers' lawyer, Islip Terrace-based attorney Robert A. Macedonio, said his client and Iacono had both attended an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting Thursday night at the church. He also said the two had "a prior business relationship" and called the fatal incident "an argument over a business dispute."

Macedonio said Rogers is a retired New York City firefighter who served 22 years with the FDNY and retired as a captain. He said Rogers is now self-employed and operates two assisted living facilities. 

"He's been a registered nurse for 25 years," Macedonio said. "He's been married 33 years, has four children and he's had no prior involved with the justice system."

Earlier Friday, Macedonio said: "We're going to thoroughly investigate this matter."

Rogers pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter charge during his arraignment at First District Court in Central Islip Friday afternoon, according to court documents. Judge Evan Zuckerman set bail with conditions at $500,000 cash, $1,000,000 insured bond or $5,000,000 partially secured surety bond.

Rogers is scheduled to return to court on March 11, according to court documents.

The church's pastor, the Rev. Daehyun Park, said that while police said the fatal dispute occurred in the church parking lot, he left a church fellowship hall event Thursday night and saw police cars and an ambulance in an adjacent part of the lot, a section used by local businesses and members of the public.

"They made a police line with yellow tape," Park said, adding: "I asked one of the police officers what happened and he said, ‘I cannot tell you.’"

Park confirmed the church provides basement space for weekly AA meetings, held each Thursday at 7 p.m. The pastor said he didn't know Rogers or Iacono and neither was a parishioner.

Park also said he didn’t realize until Friday that the incident had ended with a fatality and he was shocked.

Pausing for a moment, he added: "Oh, Lord. Please, these people, have mercy on them and on the victim and the victim’s family members ... This is an awful thing."

With Nicholas Grasso

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”