Lawyers For Bronx Teen Beaten By Police Don't Trust Bronx DA To Investigate

Lawyers representing the Bronx teen who was seen being beaten by cops in a widely circulated video are demanding a special investigator take over the probe. At a hearing yesterday, attorneys for Jateik Reed told the Bronx DA's office their client would not sign an agreement requiring him to give sworn statements about the charges against him. But the DA is refusing to conduct an investigation into police brutality allegations unless Reed signs this agreement, and Reed's attorney, Gideon Oliver, tells us why they're advising Reed not to cooperate:

The DA explained to the court that they wanted our client to sign an excessive force investigation agreement which, among other things, would require Reed to give a sworn and recorded statement on the crimes with which he is charged and the allegations of excessive force. It would also require him to testify in front of a grand jury and waive physician-patient privilege.
But given the fact that the DA is prosecuting Jateik—and, more importantly, the symbiotic relationship between the DA and police department—we do not believe the DA is capable of conducting a fair and honest investigation. And it would be irresponsible for me to advise a client to provide several sets of sworn and recorded statements while he has criminal charges pending.

The district attorney's office released a statement yesterday saying, "We believe that at the end of the day, they will be comfortable with our ability to fairly handle this matter." But Oliver says, "For the DA to refuse to investigate unless Reed gives up his rights is an abdication of the DA's ethical obligations. The DA is responsible for investigating crimes. If the DA wants Reed to cooperate with this investigation they should drop the charges against him, instead of asking him to testify in front of a grand jury and give recorded statements on the crimes with which he is charged. And in Reed's case, the video speaks for itself. It's transparent, especially in a case like this."

We pointed out that the video doesn't show what led up to Reed's arrest and what kind of altercation might have occurred off-camera, and Oliver asked, "What kind of conduct would have justified beating him on the ground the way they did? Officers are trained in the use of force, and you're not supposed to use force on someone once they're subdued. Even assuming there's something more criminal left out of the video, that would have been included in the criminal complaint, and it's not. And even then it wouldn't justify beating him like a dog."

Reed was released on $10,000 bail yesterday, and faces a variety of charges, including harassment, resisting arrest and marijuana possession. But Oliver believes the drug charges were fabricated after the arrest in order to justify the beating. The officers seen in the video have been placed on modified duty pending the outcome of the investigation, assuming one takes place. "I pray the truth comes out," Reed's mother, Schuan Reed, tells the Daily News.

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

By John Del Signore in News on February 7, 2012 2:57 PM

Comments [rss]

Josh B. U mad?

I dont know if you guys saw this, but the pathetic police officers in this video actually threatened to mace the person filming. That right there is unlawful because he could be classified as a citizen journalist. Based on the fact that they did not want to be on camera, they still had no right to threaten to mace the cameraman. And second, The cops should be arrested themselves by the citizens because they assaulted him even tho he was going to cooperate. They didnt give him a chance to go face down on the ground. They were yanking him and beating the shit out of him. Thats why #OccupyOakland is having the #FTP marches. Fuck The Police there and everywhere there is an altercation like this. Hope the case goes well for the kid.

napalm2

Its sad to say, but the NYPD and corrupt system has put this city in a situation to where the only justice that can be served to the NYPD, is officer Figowski.

Dwayne Hoover

Don't trust the Bronx DA? You mean the same office where Prosecutor Jennifer Troiano used her position to get out of 2 drunken crashes, and only got caught on the third time after the DA ignored the case for months? I can't imagine why no one would trust them......

LesFleursDuMal

Just watched the video again. Kid was still kicking on his way down. I didnt see any excessive force.

napalm2

"Just watched the video again. Kid wasn't kicking on his way down. I pretended I didn't see any excessive force."

There. I fixed it for ya.

randomtransplant

Surely the D.A.'s office isn't suggesting that pursuing a couple common misdemeanors is worth jeopardizing several violent felonies, are they?

You can dress a pig up in a suit & tie, but at the end of the day they're right back to wallowing in shit.

jibbly

"Even assuming there's something more criminal left out of the video,
that would have been included in the criminal complaint, and it's not.
And even then it wouldn't justify beating him like a dog."

This says it all to me.

LesFleursDuMal

You hit a cop, you are going to get your ass kicked. Simple as that. Eff this hood rat.

mistermarkdavis

If you get beat up by cops you will get charged with assaulting a police officer. If everything the police did was fine why did they come at the guy with a camera brandishing a weapon?

We live in one of the best cities in the world, we deserve a more professional police force.

randomtransplant

You wear your uniform to a beating on camera, your gonna get your career ruined. Simple as that. Eff these pigs.

Peanut_Butter

Yeah but, rule of law and all that...

Disciple_of_MrMet

But he was a good kid, such a nice boy.

LesFleursDuMal

I heard he was an aspiring rapper.

Disciple_of_MrMet

Rapping is only his backup plan, his first choice is to play in the NBA.

d young

Cops are cowards, you're saying? Most would agree with you on that.

Snarx

Excuse my language, but it's fucking pathetic how out of shape all of those cops are. Fucking pathetic.

Peanut_Butter

It is and it affects all of us. Most importantly, it affects them. If I were doing a job which could put my life at risk, you'd be damn sure I'd be in the shape of my life.