DA Expected to Drop Charges Against Cyclist in Video

A lawyer for the cyclist who was shown on video being violently shoved off his bike by a rookie cop during a July Critical Mass ride says that prosecutors will drop the charges today. Officer Patrick Pogan wrote in his report that cyclist Christopher Long had been weaving in and out of traffic and deliberately tried to hit him with his bike on the night of July 25th. The video, as you'll recall, told a very different story, but Long was still charged with attempted assault, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.

UPDATE: As expected, the Manhattan District Attorney has dropped all charges against Christopher Long, per this press release from Times Up.

Former NYCLU director Norman Siegel tells the Times, “I think they should give serious consideration to bringing perjury and assault charges against the cop. This is the way to get accountability over the police and reduce police misconduct. If you make this officer an example, then the message is: This kind of conduct is unacceptable and there will be legal consequences for it.” Particularly if your conduct gets caught on video!

Last Friday night was the first Critical Mass ride since the infamous cop bodyslam video surfaced; it was also the fourth anniversary of the protest ride during the New York RNC that resulted in a staggering 264 cyclists arrests. Downtown Express noted "a larger-than-usual police presence," and reported that more than a dozen cyclists received tickets during the evening, most for not having a light or riding in the center of the street. Hundreds of cyclists stopped in Times Square to lift their bikes near the spot where Christopher Long allegedly assaulted Officer Pogan, and cyclist Barbara Ross seemed to sum up the mood with her large sign reading, “NYPD Keep 500 Feet Back.”

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By John Del Signore in News on September 5, 2008 10:55 AM

Comments [rss]

Jerky

It took the DA this long to "drop charges"?? Gee, did they have to dig up Morgenthau's corpse and prop it in front of a microphone to announce such a startling conclusion???

JMH

"I hope he had fun get knocked off his freakin bike into the street and spending all that time locked up. Lets see we have two situations. One, this assclown getting laid out on the street and then gets handcuffed and thrown in a radio car. The other, an ACLU lawyer making comments. Guess which one wins?"

Which... situation... wins? What does that even mean?

Kevin Walsh

Pogan should definitely be charged with assault.

I'm agreeing with Critical Mess and Norman Siegel. Pigs are flying today.

www.forgotten-ny.com

emilydickinson

They're dropping the charges? How big of them. It's wonderful we live in a country where getting knocked off your bike isn't a crime. G-d Bless America!

jaycjay

"And it took this long because...?"

Most likely simply because this was his scheduled court date.

JacqueMehoff

from watching some RNC police conduct, it appears they don't even care when video cameras are filming them anymore. they know they can get away with anything.

Public Relations

Those arrested can be more proactive about getting justice.

You can file criminal/Civil Rights complaints with:

the Civilian Complaint Review Board

The District Attorney's Office

The FBI

In the case of this video - this gives the complainant more credibility than most who just have witnesses or their word against the officer's

maevemealone

I was having drinks in the west village on friday evening and saw 2 cyclists get pulled over in front of me. They were CM but more like stragglers, not in a pack, until others caught up to them. When I left that place, 3 others were being pulled over and ticketed around the corner. They weren't being raucous or obnoxious from where I was sitting so cops were definitely following along picking off where they could.

interlard

And it took this long because...?

I agree with enforcing penalties for assault and lying on a police report. Abuse of public trust must be punished.

It's interesting how, even though people are suspicious of having more security cameras (like they do in the UK), the cameras are being used to hold the police accountable.

Spirit of 76

The only reason they're going to drop the charges is that they know they don't have a snowball's chance in hell of getting a conviction, thanks to that publicly viewable video. They don't give a damn about what's right and what's wrong.

drewo

Here's an opportunity for Commissioner Kelly, who has made noise about mayoral aspirations, to make a clear statement that the NYPD will not tolerate this kind of behavior among its rank and file. Kelly could show a little spine, and step out and demonstrate to New Yorkers that he has leadership abilities, and that he is not above putting his own department under scrutiny.

Instead we get the blue wall of silence from a would-be local leader -- an unspoken denial of any wrongdoing.

La Leone

Bring on the perjury and assault charges! Pogan is a 22 yr. old, third generation cop who lives @ home w/his father. Daddy is a retired weapons expert on the Joint Terrorism Task Force... I bet father and son sit out in the backyard doing target pratice on beer cans all "Get off my property!" style. Learn compassion and tolerance -teach your children well!

famdoc

edEx: he gets "desk duty" until this thing blows over and then gets to go back out on the street and....

ed_Extinct

and the cop gets what? a silver star?

JacqueMehoff

the only reporter who had balls was the one from WCBS O'Keefe, I think and he left.

no one asks the mayor or Kelly these questions. at least some council members question the mayor on why the police are harassing bicyclists.