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Ron Kuby Asks Feds To Prosecute Punching, Pepper-Spraying Cops
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Mar 28, 2012
Modified Mar 28, 2012
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By
Christopher Robbins
Published Mar 28, 2012
Modified Mar 28, 2012
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Civil rights attorney Ron Kuby fired off a letter to U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara on Monday asking his office to pursue charges against NYPD officers who used excessive force against Occupy Wall Street protesters last fall. "The DA's Official Corruption Unit, which is responsible for this investigation, seems more interested in pursuing hypothetical police officers with possible ties to prostitutes than with prosecuting actual police deputy inspectors for brutality," Kuby writes.
Represented by Kuby are two of the protesters who Deputy Inspector Tony Bologna pepper-sprayed in September, and Felix Rivera-Pitre, the man who was sucker punched by Deputy Inspector Johnny Cardona (for shooting him "a look") in October. Kuby is asking Bharara to prosecute the officers under 18 U.S.C. § 242, which would mean that the protesters' rights were infringed "under color of law," in this case law enforcement officers.
"No credible defense of their conduct has been asserted," Kuby writes, "and the outright lies of Deputy Commissioner Browne have been conclusively refuted….Someone needs to send a message that the conduct engaged in by Bologna and Cardona is criminal."
You can read the entire letter below.
Tagged
johnny cardona
occupy wall street
police brutality
preet bharara
ron kuby
tony bologna
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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