Daily News reporters win investigative Pulitzer Prize

THE NEWSROOM was quiet yesterday afternoon, save for the sound of an anxious editor repeatedly clicking his mouse while staring at a computer screen.

Refresh. Refresh. Refresh.

Finally, at 3 o'clock, the silence was pierced by his euphoric cry: "YES!"

With that, word spread instantly: Daily News reporters Barbara Laker and Wendy Ruderman were named winners of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting for the "Tainted Justice" series, their takedown of allegedly corrupt narcotics cops.

Laker, 52, and Ruderman, 40, are the third and fourth journalists to win a Pulitzer in the Daily News' 85-year history.

"I always felt like this is something that happens to other people, and not us," said Laker, who joined the People Paper in 1993.

A Pulitzer for investigative reporting was also awarded to Sheri Fink, of ProPublica, for a Hurricane Katrina-related story done in collaboration with the New York Times Magazine.

Inquirer cartoonist Tony Auth was named a Pulitzer finalist for his work.

Laker and Ruderman's investigation into Officer Jeffrey Cujdik and other members of the Narcotics Field Unit began in February 2009, when an informant told the reporters that the cops sometimes lied on search warrants.

The two followed a trail that was paved by scores of old warrants and unheard allegations from bodega owners, who claimed the narcs had routinely disabled surveillance cameras during raids of their stores.

The merchants said thousands of dollars in cash and merchandise had vanished from their stores during the raids, which were aimed at confiscating tiny ziplock bags that were considered drug paraphernalia.

Other allegations were also uncovered during their reporting, which prompted an FBI investigation and numerous changes to police policy.

More than 50 convicted drug dealers are now fighting for new trials, alleging that officers had fabricated evidence against them.

Daily News Editor Michael Days said he believed all along that Laker and Ruderman deserved the Pulitzer Prize for the investigative work they did on "Tainted Justice."

"They went through thousands of search warrants and knocked on hundreds of doors," he said. "Nobody worked harder than those two."

Days added that the reporters gave voice to "people who are not viewed as full partners in our society, and who are sometimes marginalized."

Laker and Ruderman were visibly overwhelmed by the news of their award. They hugged, laughed and jumped up and down while colleagues cheered wildly around them.

"We couldn't have done it without our police sources, who were fantastic and who I adore," said a smiling Ruderman, who joined the paper in 2007, following a five-year stint at the Inquirer.

Brian Tierney, chief executive officer of Philadelphia Media Holdings, which owns the Daily News, said he was "bursting with pride. I am so thrilled for these folks."

"Tainted Justice" has been previously honored with a Distinguished Writing Award for Local Accountability Reporting from the American Society of News Editors, as well as the Scripps Howard Foundation's prestigious Ursula and Gilbert Farfel Prize for investigative reporting.

But the journey to Pulitzer glory wasn't easy. The reporters faced challenges along the way, from being publicly ridiculed by police-union officials to being physically assaulted, as Laker was by a woman she tried to interview.

"Wendy and Barbara showed extraordinary courage and determination in reporting these stories," said Daily News City Editor Gar Joseph, who edited the series.

"They were determined to expose crimes committed by men paid to uphold the law, not break it."