Felix Rivera-Pitre, the protester who was punched by NYPD Deputy Inspector Johnny Cardona during a violent clash between police and OWS protesters on October 13th has agreed to sit down with city prosecutors on Monday. NYPD spokesman Paul Browne previously claimed that Rivera-Pitre had tried to elbow Cardona, and added that the NYPD was seeking his arrest. "The DA's office…has informed me Felix will not be arrested until the DA's office completes its investigation and makes a decision as to whether to press charges," his attorney, Ron Kuby, told the Daily News.
The meeting is part of an ongoing investigation of the incident by the DA's office. Kuby is pressing for assault charges against Cardona, who is currently being investigated by the New York Civilian Complaint Review Board for his actions. "I'll only caution people when you see a picture, you have to see the whole sequence of events," Commissioner Ray Kelly said. To us, it appeared that Cardona punched Rivera-Pitre in the face because he shot him a look and was walking in the street with dozens of other protesters. Cardona was also involved last month in a separate incident, as he appears to grab a female protester by the neck and drag her to the ground, seemingly without provocation.
