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NY1

Video Surfaces Showing Second Officer Striking Suspect



July 29, 2008

A second city police officer has been put on modified duty, following the Tuesday release of a video showing the officer striking a suspect with his baton.

According to court documents, the incident occurred on July 4th at about 8:30 p.m.

An attorney for 46-year-old Michael Cephus claims his client was struck 10 times with a baton during an arrest. The attorney says police accused Cephus of trying to carry liquor into a park as he was trying to find a spot to view the fireworks.

In court papers, the arresting officer Maurice Harrington said Cephus was swinging an umbrella around as a weapon and that he resisted arrest.

The NYPD said Tuesday that the matter is under investigation.

The story follows on the heels of the release of another video, pictured above, in which a different officer is seen knocking a cyclist to the ground during a mass bike ride by the group Time's Up last Friday. The video appeared on YouTube.

The police union is coming to the defense of that officer. President Pat Lynch of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association said Officer Patrick Pogan “took action” when he observed the rider creating a “hazardous situation for the public.”

Lynch, who was unavailable for an on-camera interview, issued a statement saying the video shows the rider did not stop, like "any reasonable person" when approached by the officer.

But Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Tuesday it looks to him like Pogan crossed the line.

“It looked to me to be totally over the top and inappropriate, but the police commissioner is going to or is in the process of doing an investigation. I don't want to prejudice any investigation,” said Bloomberg.

As of Tuesday, Pogan has been stripped of his badge and gun – and has been reassigned pending a department investigation.

Meanwhile, the cyclist, Christopher Long, is facing charges of blocking traffic, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and assault.