Lawyer for Cop Who Bodyslammed Cyclist On Offensive

The trial began today for a former NYPD officer caught on tape slamming a cyclist to the curb in a seemingly unprovoked assault during a 2008 Critical Mass ride. In opening statements, Patrick Pogan's lawyer told the jury that Pogan wasn't the criminal here, but rather cyclist Christopher Long, who deserved to be arrested because he was probably stoned when he rode his bike through the center of the street.

Defense lawyer Stuart London argues that Long "orchestrated" the arrest so he could sue the city. Furthermore, Long "was actually discharged out of the Army, the evidence will show, for smoking marijuana," and had rolling papers on him when he was arrested. (Long was charged with assault, but not possession of rolling papers, perhaps because it's not a crime?) Long was also riding in the middle of the street with his hands off the handlebars, swerving toward Pogan, who had no choice but to follow orders and make an arrest. "It's a party to him," London said. "And he's going to ride his bike right through Officer Pogan."

According to London, Pogan just a "bright-eyed, new officer," with just 11 days on the job, "a naive, professional officer just trying to do his job." A job he was unprepared for! "He thought he was going to go to St. Patrick's Cathedral," said London. "He didn't know what Critical Mass was. He had no idea." London says Pogan was told to "stop" riders who broke the law, which is just what he did, and now he's on trial for assault and filing a false criminal complaint, which claimed that Long "drove" his bicycle "directly into [Pogan's] body, causing [Pogan] to fall to the ground and causing a laceration to his arm." The infamous video, below, tells quite a different story:

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on April 19, 2010 3:57 PM

Comments [rss]

Whammo

This story is a great example of why they should bring back the stocks and tar and feathering. For the lawyer too.

Dwayne Hoover

That high school picture screams 'Loser Meathead'.

Spook

any male who wears hair styling jell is a tool.......see above

soxinthecity

A veteran cop would have beat the crap out of whoever was taping that and been on their merry way. Rookie mistake.

horseplay

Actually, this pig represents about 95% of the nypd costa nostra organized crime family. Just imagen what goes on when cameras arent rolling. They are all the same and something needs to be done about these thugs in uniform that patrol our city streets

inoyourider

No, no, and no.

Pathetic attempt.

NannyState

Typical cop lawyer: reinvent History, the facts, and the Order of The Universe to acquit a shitty bad cop.

horseplay

How about, this is just one of many criminal acts commited by tons of nypd officers everyday. Its just that this one stands out because of the comical defense by the officer and his lawyer.. Nyc needs a full makeover for the crooked nypd before we can worry about so-called spikes in crime in our streets. By the way, anyone have the stats for nypd officers who committ crimes? Bet it out does any other police department in the country

jjm2052

I don't want this man on the police force in this city. I don't want him in this city period. The very fact that he can't recognize his wrongs by pleading guilty tells me he's beyond hope or respect. If he gets off, I hope the hipsters riot.

Sommelier

The cyclist was "probably" stoned, and a rookie could tell this, at night, while the cyclist was moving? How about the rookie was "probably" drunk?

ed_Extinct

Long isn't on trial. Pogan is for:

1. Assault

2. Falsifying a Police Report

3. Perjury

G-U-I-L-T-Y

ozik

A face like that is made for lying to juries about police abuse, sadly it doesn't look like it's made to do it very well.

corygreenwell

I think some people are a little confused, the false police report isn't where cyclist is going to get an award of $1.5M if he gets it, it'll be the assault and the report has nothing to do with that. Presumably the report gave credence to the arrest which was wrongful and a false imprisonment claim exists in here somewhere too.

Purp

The cyclist already settled for $65,000. My understanding was that today's trial concerned the felony charges of falsifying business records and filing a false instrument and misdemeanor charges of third-degree assault, second-degree harassment and making a punishable false written statement that the officer faces.

corygreenwell

oh ok, I thought this was the civil case. Thanks for the correction.

CR

Good point.

corygreenwell

While it is critically important that an attorney vigorously defend his client regardless of the attorney's own moral beliefs and whether the attorney believes the client did or did not do the offense in question, there should be some basis for the claim. That the cyclist was "probably stoned" is insulting and unfairly prejudicial and admission of rolling papers should not be admissible, however the attorney has to simply grab at straws because the documented evidence is pretty conclusive because even the argument that the cyclist drove into the officer is clearly refuted by the cyclist making a clear effort to swerve to the outside of the officer who then approached the cyclist, arms up at a run and struck the cyclist. The attorney is simply doing what his is professionally required to do at this stage, though it seems his real failure came in negotiating this suit much earlier.