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Video Shows Police Beating In Building Lobby
By
John Del Signore
Published Jun 22, 2010
Modified Jun 22, 2010
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By
John Del Signore
Published Jun 22, 2010
Modified Jun 22, 2010
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After showing it in court yesterday, the Manhattan DA's office finally released surveillance video of an NYPD officer delivering 20 baton blows to a man in the lobby of a West 93rd Street housing project. Prosecutors say that on the night of July 18th, 2008, Officer London, a 15-year NYPD veteran, continued bashing the man, Iraq war veteran Walter Harvin, even after he was handcuffed. The video does not show the post-handcuff pummeling—but it does show London's partner Mohammed Khan struggling to put the handcuffs on without getting his fingers bashed by the swinging baton.
London faces 7 years in prison if convicted of felony assault; he's also accused of falsifying a police report that claimed he was punched and kicked. Yesterday, Khan, a 10-year NYPD veteran facing departmental charges for not reporting the alleged abuse, testified that Harvin did not punch them, but he claims that Harvin kicked London while on the ground. There's no audio on the surveillance tapes, but Khan also testified that Harvin shouted "I’ll fuck you up! I’ll kill you, motherfucker!" after cops tried to stop him from entering his mother's building without a key.
And as the beating continued, Khan testified that Harvin, curled up on the floor, shouted, "I came from Iraq!" According to Khan, London retorted, "I was in the Air Force, too!" and kept swinging. Harvin suffered multiple contusions and abrasions, and was charged with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct—charges which were later dropped. He's now missing and is not expected to testify, but his family was in the courtroom yesterday. Harvin's uncle, Earl Jones, stormed out of court when the video was shown, the Post reports. "You don't beat a dog like that," Jones told the tabloid. "The public should see it. They need to see so they can be aware how cops treat people."
Tagged
cop
david london
nypd beating
police brutality
surveillance video
walter harvin
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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