An American serving time in a prison in Germany for a murder there told the NYPD he has information about the unsolved 1977 murder of a housing cop – but then abruptly stopped talking, The Post has learned.
Frederick Foley, 50, told New York cops in Frankfurt last month that he had heard organized-crime figures speak about the shooting of Officer Vito Chiaramonte.
But a day later, Foley’s lawyer told cops there would be no more talks.
Foley, who is jailed for an unrelated killing, had wanted his sentence reduced for information about the murder.
Chiaramonte’s daughter told The Post, “We’re surprised,” after hearing about Foley’s story.
“We’re a little upset that the Police Department hasn’t contacted us,” said Rose Marie Chiaramonte.
Vito Chiaramonte, 38, was shot while on patrol Sept. 26, 1977, at Delancey Street and the FDR Drive.
The married father of four had served for 12 years and received nine citations for bravery.
In 1981, cops charged a man with the murder, but he was cleared.
Shortly after that arrest, a prosecutor released secretly recorded tapes that revealed Chiaramonte talking with other cops in 1977 about shaking down drug dealers for money.
Chiaramonte had been on the verge of being indicted, according to a published report.
That report also said Chiaramonte secretly had taped other corrupt cops – and on the night of his death, officers removed his belongings from his locker and went to his home to seize file cabinets believed to contain tapes.