Bologna in action (Photo via Facebook)
Apr 23, 2013
Two NYPD officers who were filmed assaulting non-violent Occupy Wall Street protesters will not face any charges, New York District Attorney's Office announced late last week.
Of the two officers, Anthony Bologna was filmed in September 2011 spraying a group of non-violent Occupy Wall Street protestors who had been cordoned off and held behind a police screen barricade by other officers.
The video, once posted to YouTube, ignited widespread fury over the NYPD's handling of the Occupy protests.
The other officer, Deputy Inspector Johnny Cardonna, was filmed in October 2011 tapping a protester on the shoulder, turning him around, and punching him in the face.
The DA's office claims that the videos are not strong enough evidence of the obvious police brutality depicted: "The District Attorney's Office has concluded, after a thorough investigation, that we cannot prove these allegations criminally beyond a reasonable doubt," said Erin M. Duggan, the chief spokeswoman for District Attorney Cy Vance. "We have informed the Police Department, the complainants, and the City of our decision."
In response to the DA's announcement, Kaylee Dedrick, one of the protesters pepper-sprayed by Bologna, said in a phone interview, "Part of me expected that he wouldn't be prosecuted, but I'm still pretty shocked, with all the evidence against him."
Her lawyer, Ron Kuby, who represents several protesters who are suing the inspectors, called the decision "cowardly and despicable."
The Huffington Postreported on Tuesday that the city of New York will now represent Cardona in a seperate civil suit. Cardona is scheduled this week to meet with attorneys from the city's Law Department to begin to map out his legal strategies.
Watch video of the two incidents below:
_______________________
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. Join with us today! |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Jacob Chamberlain
Jacob Chamberlain is a former staff writer for Common Dreams. His website is www.jacobpchamberlain.com.
Two NYPD officers who were filmed assaulting non-violent Occupy Wall Street protesters will not face any charges, New York District Attorney's Office announced late last week.
Of the two officers, Anthony Bologna was filmed in September 2011 spraying a group of non-violent Occupy Wall Street protestors who had been cordoned off and held behind a police screen barricade by other officers.
The video, once posted to YouTube, ignited widespread fury over the NYPD's handling of the Occupy protests.
The other officer, Deputy Inspector Johnny Cardonna, was filmed in October 2011 tapping a protester on the shoulder, turning him around, and punching him in the face.
The DA's office claims that the videos are not strong enough evidence of the obvious police brutality depicted: "The District Attorney's Office has concluded, after a thorough investigation, that we cannot prove these allegations criminally beyond a reasonable doubt," said Erin M. Duggan, the chief spokeswoman for District Attorney Cy Vance. "We have informed the Police Department, the complainants, and the City of our decision."
In response to the DA's announcement, Kaylee Dedrick, one of the protesters pepper-sprayed by Bologna, said in a phone interview, "Part of me expected that he wouldn't be prosecuted, but I'm still pretty shocked, with all the evidence against him."
Her lawyer, Ron Kuby, who represents several protesters who are suing the inspectors, called the decision "cowardly and despicable."
The Huffington Postreported on Tuesday that the city of New York will now represent Cardona in a seperate civil suit. Cardona is scheduled this week to meet with attorneys from the city's Law Department to begin to map out his legal strategies.
Watch video of the two incidents below:
_______________________
Jacob Chamberlain
Jacob Chamberlain is a former staff writer for Common Dreams. His website is www.jacobpchamberlain.com.
Two NYPD officers who were filmed assaulting non-violent Occupy Wall Street protesters will not face any charges, New York District Attorney's Office announced late last week.
Of the two officers, Anthony Bologna was filmed in September 2011 spraying a group of non-violent Occupy Wall Street protestors who had been cordoned off and held behind a police screen barricade by other officers.
The video, once posted to YouTube, ignited widespread fury over the NYPD's handling of the Occupy protests.
The other officer, Deputy Inspector Johnny Cardonna, was filmed in October 2011 tapping a protester on the shoulder, turning him around, and punching him in the face.
The DA's office claims that the videos are not strong enough evidence of the obvious police brutality depicted: "The District Attorney's Office has concluded, after a thorough investigation, that we cannot prove these allegations criminally beyond a reasonable doubt," said Erin M. Duggan, the chief spokeswoman for District Attorney Cy Vance. "We have informed the Police Department, the complainants, and the City of our decision."
In response to the DA's announcement, Kaylee Dedrick, one of the protesters pepper-sprayed by Bologna, said in a phone interview, "Part of me expected that he wouldn't be prosecuted, but I'm still pretty shocked, with all the evidence against him."
Her lawyer, Ron Kuby, who represents several protesters who are suing the inspectors, called the decision "cowardly and despicable."
The Huffington Postreported on Tuesday that the city of New York will now represent Cardona in a seperate civil suit. Cardona is scheduled this week to meet with attorneys from the city's Law Department to begin to map out his legal strategies.
Watch video of the two incidents below:
_______________________
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.