Critical Mass Cyclist assaulted by NYPD

cops and robbers

which one holds the gun?

Carnivore wrote: Some follow-up:

http://www.nypost.com/seven/07272008/news/regionalnews/cop_shoves_bicyclist_121984.htm

What the video doesn't show is Pogan arresting Long for attempted assault in the third degree, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct - charges that kept the Bloomfield, NJ, man behind bars for 26 hours before his release late Saturday.

This isn't about cops and bikers, this is about a minority of rogue cops abusing their position.

Carnivore wrote: I disagree. The NYPD's abuse of their authority against Critical Mass has been systematic, ever since the RNC came to New York. Yes this was a rogue cop, but this shit doesn't happen in a vacuum any more than at Abu Ghraib.

Well, I don't disagree with your statement about Critical Mass. But I also think that it is indicative of a bigger problem than _just_ Critical Mass. The Michael Warren thread a bit down comes immediately to mind as an example of the sort of abuse of power which I am comparing as similar.

Carnivore wrote: [quote=daver]The Michael Warren thread a bit down comes immediately to mind as an example of the sort of abuse of power which I am comparing as similar.

Which thread is that?
Dis one.
Not specifically that so much, as just that sort of behavior. Another one that comes to mind was the video I saw on youtube a couple months ago of a Tibetan peace protester getting beaten down in a similar fashion while innocently walking by the NYPD, and getting similar charges filed against him.

Also, it is probably worth pointing out that the cop in question had only been a cop for three weeks, Critical Mass is monthly, yes? So it would have been his first time ever there as a cop.

Yes, and my point is that this isn't Critical Mass specific behavior. A certain minority of the NYPD has done this sort of thing at plenty other events too. Like the Tibetan peace protests at the Chinese Embassy. Another example that I am familiar with was at the Miramar protests, shortly before the disaster there. I'm all for addressing the Critical Mass incidents, but this is a systematic thang. And like I said, _this_ cop hasn't been doing it for quite some time, he has been on the job three weeks.

Nice. Fanciful arrest report here at The Smoking Gun. I especially like the part about the bicyclist steering his bike directly into the officer, knocking the officer to the ground and causing cuts on the officer's arms. If this guy keeps his job, then all hope is lost in this world. Or something.

jf22561 wrote: In looking at this video again, I notice that the officer is looking directly at the bicyclist and actually waiting for him to get closer so he could stop him. It looks to me like something may have happened that the video does not show. It's clear that the officer intended to stop this particular person for some reason that we just don't know yet. I don't think we should rush to judgement on either side - the investigation will clear everything up one way or another.

Holy crap, did you READ the arrest report??? If not, go and do so at the link I posted just above you. If you have read the arrest report, then seek immediate medical help. I'm not claiming that perhaps something happened that was not on the video, but the SWORN STATEMENT by the officer is obviously FAR from accurate.

jf22561 wrote: OK, just read the report. It's quite possible that the bicyclist did, in fact, do what the officer stated in the report, which is why the officer tried to stop him (rightfully so). However, it's obvious from the video that the bicyclist did not try to steer into him as stated by the officer. To me, at this point, it sounds like both sides are wrong.

OMG WTF?

Are there any cars rolling, before or after the incident? No. So how did the bicyclist weave in and out of traffic, "thereby forcing multiple vehicles to stop abruptly or change their direction in order to avoid hitting the defendant?" The cars on 7th were stopped before and after the cop knocked the bicyclist down.

Do you see the cop telling him to stop weaving? I sure don't. The cops says, "that upon instructing the defendant to cease the above-described conduct, the defendant steered the defendant's bicycle in the direction of [cop] and drive defendant's bicycle directly into [cop's] body; causing [cop] to fall to the ground and causing [cop] to suffer lacerations on [cop's] forearms."

Both sides are wrong? This is a SWORN STATEMENT from a law enforcement officer, that is obviously NOT TRUE. I'm not sure what the law is on this, but I hope that the cop is facing some prison time for these blatant lies, and not just losing his job. Which is hopefully a foregone conclusion.

"The officer tried to stop him?" If he was truly trying to stop him, he could have just grabbed him, not cross checked him into the curb. The officer knocked him on his ass after the guy tried to get out of the officer's way. And then went to jail for 26 hours for it, plus he will undoubtedly have to get a lawyer and screw around to charges dismissed (which they will be.) And no one would ever be the wiser and the cop would have gotten away with it if some random tourist hadn't posted the video on the internet. Do you think for a second that the officer's sworn statement would have been disbelieved without the video?

Actually, the NYT interviewed one of the people right behind him, and they didn't see the cyclist do anything wrong. No one saw the cyclist do anything illegal, and with all those people standing around, that means he probably didn't.

Besides the officer didn't signal him to stop or anything.

Here, read:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/29/nyregion/29critical.html?ex=1375070400&en=42c0464f319f9587&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

The NYT is slanted - I don't read it. With everything going on, it's very possible no one right around him saw anything. The bikers were fast! Things have happened around me that I didn't see because of a lot of commotion - that happens to all of us. But this is great - let's prove the cop guilty before the full investigation!!!! Let's forget the cop is a human being!!!! Let's sympathize with the possible perp - not just in this situation but in EVERY situation!! You gotta love New York!!! I already said that they both seemed wrong after reading the report but that's not good enough. A total condemnation of the officer seems to be looked for on this board. Sorry, that ain't happening - until, possibly, the full investigation is over and it warrants it. Have a great day people.

Echh.

Another case:



Who knows what Police allege happened before the video was rolling, but the person is apparently "resisting arrest" here because he is not just letting himself be cuffed, *while* he is sustaining blows...

And... He's off. Surprise surprise.

All charges will be dropped Friday against a bicyclist who was body slammed by a Manhattan cop in a shocking incident caught on YouTube, sources close to the case said.

Biker Christopher Long, 29, also will announce plans to sue the city over the unprovoked bashing in Times Square during a Critical Mass bike ride July 25.

The NYPD and prosecutors are still investigating rookie cop Patrick Pogan, 22, who was stripped of his gun and placed on desk duty after the video surfaced.

NY Daily News