Posted on 12/16/2008 9:41:42 AM PST by BGHater
A grand jury indictment is expected to be unsealed Tuesday in the case of a New York City police officer shown in video footage knocking a bicyclist to the ground in Times Square.
Officer Patrick Pogan has been told to appear for arraignment on charges in the indictment in state Supreme Court in Manhattan, said his attorney Stu London.
Sources familiar with the investigation said the charges against Pogan are expected to be misdemeanor assault and felony filing of a false instrument.
"He denies any wrongdoing in this matter," London said. "The video in question doesn't show the reckless behavior of the bicyclist prior to Officer Pogan taking police action. He was clearly disruptive and in accordance with the type of behavior the office was trained to prevent or stop."
Pogan was stripped of his badge and gun and assigned to desk duty after video emerged from the July 25 Critical Mass bicycle ride. The footage, shown widely on YouTube, showed Pogan shoving Christopher Long off his bike.
After the event, a monthly bike ride held around the world to draw attention to alternatives to motor vehicles, police said Long was arrested because he was obstructing traffic and had deliberately steered his bicycle into an officer.
In September, charges against Long were dismissed. Long's attorney, who had said his client is considering suing the city, could not be reached Monday.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...
Yep.
Looks like it.
I suppose, for a split second, the cop forgot the reason he was there and swerving is a natural response.
There are time, place and manner restrictions on protesting. Riding your bike down the middle of the street in Times Square is an illegal form of protest. The reasons for this are obvious.
But, at the risk of stating the obvious, if folks ride their bicycles down the middle of the street in Times Square, it is likely that somebody is going to get hurt or killed, either the cyclist or some pedestrian standing on the sidewalk when a taxicab swerves to avoid hitting the cyclist.
Been there, seen it.
And I’ve seen much worse.
Come to the midwest when the Klan is in town.
Or when Chicago has its Puerto Rico Day “parade”.
Yes, they suck.
But, sometimes, I suck.
I’d hate to get punched in the face or slammed into the pavement for my legal, but annoying transgressions.
What bothers me more is the time I was walking down Broadway (this summer) and a derelict that was marching with other derelicts stops, looks at me and my family and says,
“Don’t forget to get tested for Hepatitis C.”
Actually, I laugh about that a lot.
“Thanks, Buddy. Will do.”
In the story I read, it appears the driver who impacted the cyclists was drunk and asleep at the wheel. The car in the opposite lane might have been just going around.
it's pretty obvious you hate this cop on the basis of this video. i'm sure you relish this outcome.
meanwhile these critical massers will keep hurting people and destroying property around the city.
My first reaction was that this cyclist had done something further back up the street that warranted at least some close attention by the police.
There’s a reason why the NYPD treated this cop very carefully. His father is big-shot in the NYPD brass, if I remember correctly.
Unsavory-looking people would approach him for one reason or another, but then steer clear of him and give him a wide berth when he launched into his hacking "tuberculosis coughing fit" that he had perfected for just these occasions. LOL.
I prefer "Spandex Nazis". It differentiates them from casual riders or someone riding out of necessity.
IMO a man that voluntarily dons Spandex in public is a little low on testosterone.
I never talk about how cool it would be to knock somebody off a bicycle. Perhaps your impression that I did is the source of your error.
In any case, I am not going to resort to profanity, personal attacks or threats, all of which are violations of the posting guidelines.
The KKK “on parade”?
Really?
Yes, I hate THIS cop based on the video.
And, yes, I relish what will happen to this DIRTY cop.
At least I’m intellectually honest enough to admit that.
Meanwhile, you’ll support the cop and somehow discount what you’ve seen with your own eyes. But, wait, the cop’s own SWORN statement doesn’t match what you’re saying. Even the cop’s own statement didn’t mention the mysteriously missing second cop.
He must be just off camera, slightly out of focus.
On the grassy knoll.
Or just under that manhole cover.
If they’re destroying property (not on tape) or hurting people (also, not on tape) arrest them. If they’re violent, use the means necessary to apprehend. I hate hippie violence like that in Seattle or the CM protests that result in damages, like in San Fran.
Don’t put your neck out there for this one.
You look foolish and you diminish your credibility when a truly deserving cop needs the attention.
His father was a long-time, senior detective.
These Critical Mass people are an arrogant menace to society and someone should clock them. Their behavior is vary dangerous putting themselves and others at risk.
Still, the officer had no right to chase someone down and knock him to the gronund. The bicycilist could hat the light pole or the curb and been seriously injured.
What the officer did was done with malice and forethought. He should be severly punished for jeopardizing someone’s safety and life under the color of law. I am talking loss of job and jail time. He is not above the law and should be held accountable for physically bullying someone.
That aside, I do not sorry for the bicycilist. They and he are jerks.
I agree.
The threat of death or injury for an “illegal protest” should never come from a COP.
In that case, the cyclist posed a threat to no one until a dirty cop decided to lineback him onto the sidewalk.
So, what is the appropriate response, in your opinion, to this situation, where you have massed bicyclists intentionally running stop lights and tying up traffic?
Should the cops just look the other way?
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