A New York police officer, who had been recorded on tape while shoving a bicyclist and knocking him to the ground, was indicted.
Police officer Patrick Pogan was told to report to the state Supreme Court in Manhattan on Tuesday morning, according to his attorney Sty London. He is expected to be charged with misdemeanor assault and felony filling of a false instrument. The police officer has been stripped of his badge and gun and been assigned to desk duty.
The cyclist, Christopher Long, was put under arrest back on July 25. This incident happened during a Critical Mass ride through Time Square. The bike rides –carried out one a month – are meant to draw attention to other ways of transportation than motor vehicles.
According to police documents, the bicyclist was obstructing traffic and intentionally steered his bicycle into a police officer. In September, charges against Long were dismissed.
London argued that the video recording which has been viewed by as much as 1.6 million viewers on YouTube.com shows only officer Pogan shoving the cyclist, but it doesn’t show the “reckless behavior” of Long which determined the police officer to act this way.
“He was clearly disruptive and in accordance with the type of behavior the office was trained to prevent or stop," the police officer’s attorney said.
The cyclist’s attorney said his client is considering suing the city of New York. Mr. Long could not be reached for comment.
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