Post by ftnyrs on Jul 15, 2014 14:47:20 GMT -5
The attorney for a Nassau police officer facing charges in the alleged beating of Westbury resident Kyle Howell says Howell has lied about his actions during the traffic stop that was caught on video, and has admitted he had marijuana at the time.
Nassau police Officer Vincent LoGiudice appeared for a court conference in Mineola on Tuesday morning, after previously pleading not guilty to three counts of assault that include two felony charges.
The officer's attorney, William Petrillo, said the defense already had been made aware that Howell admitted lying at a news conference when he spoke about events that happened in the car.Petrillo said Howell's claim that he had been reaching out to retrieve a paycheck that blew away during the encounter was false, and that the 20-year-old had admitted he was trying to get rid of a bag of marijuana.
"For the complaining witness to acknowledge that he was not truthful about what he was doing inside that car at the moment that this all took place is critical to his credibility, critical to the case, and will support, in the end, the reliability and the truthfulness of the not guilty plea entered by Officer LoGiudice," Petrillo said after court.
Assistant District Attorney Bernadette Ford told Supervising County Judge Christopher Quinn that she was aware of the government's obligation to turn over materials that could be favorable to the officer's defense. Ford declined to comment while leaving court.
But Howell's supporters, which included members of the Nassau chapter of civil rights group National Action Network, fired back at the defense after court.
"We know that not all police officers are bad but when we saw with our own eyes the video of Officer LoGiudice brutally beating Kyle, then we have to take a stand against police brutality," said the group's local president Annette Dennis.
Howell's civil attorney, Amy Marion of Garden City, called the defense's claims "the slamming of my client, who was already brutalized."
Marion said she wouldn't specifically address the defense's allegations, but emphasized authorities already had dismissed all charges against Howell.
The charges had included assaulting two police officers, tampering with physical evidence, resisting arrest and criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Police had alleged in criminal complaints that Howell kicked and punched LoGiudice, 34, and Officer Basil Gomez after they tried to retrieve marijuana he put in his mouth during an April 25 traffic stop.
A store's surveillance system recorded the traffic stop on an outdoor camera.
Howell, who suffered a broken nose, fractures near both eyes and facial nerve damage during the traffic stop, previously has denied fighting police or having drugs. He didn't comment after court Tuesday.
Nassau police Officer Vincent LoGiudice appeared for a court conference in Mineola on Tuesday morning, after previously pleading not guilty to three counts of assault that include two felony charges.
The officer's attorney, William Petrillo, said the defense already had been made aware that Howell admitted lying at a news conference when he spoke about events that happened in the car.Petrillo said Howell's claim that he had been reaching out to retrieve a paycheck that blew away during the encounter was false, and that the 20-year-old had admitted he was trying to get rid of a bag of marijuana.
"For the complaining witness to acknowledge that he was not truthful about what he was doing inside that car at the moment that this all took place is critical to his credibility, critical to the case, and will support, in the end, the reliability and the truthfulness of the not guilty plea entered by Officer LoGiudice," Petrillo said after court.
Assistant District Attorney Bernadette Ford told Supervising County Judge Christopher Quinn that she was aware of the government's obligation to turn over materials that could be favorable to the officer's defense. Ford declined to comment while leaving court.
But Howell's supporters, which included members of the Nassau chapter of civil rights group National Action Network, fired back at the defense after court.
"We know that not all police officers are bad but when we saw with our own eyes the video of Officer LoGiudice brutally beating Kyle, then we have to take a stand against police brutality," said the group's local president Annette Dennis.
Howell's civil attorney, Amy Marion of Garden City, called the defense's claims "the slamming of my client, who was already brutalized."
Marion said she wouldn't specifically address the defense's allegations, but emphasized authorities already had dismissed all charges against Howell.
The charges had included assaulting two police officers, tampering with physical evidence, resisting arrest and criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Police had alleged in criminal complaints that Howell kicked and punched LoGiudice, 34, and Officer Basil Gomez after they tried to retrieve marijuana he put in his mouth during an April 25 traffic stop.
A store's surveillance system recorded the traffic stop on an outdoor camera.
Howell, who suffered a broken nose, fractures near both eyes and facial nerve damage during the traffic stop, previously has denied fighting police or having drugs. He didn't comment after court Tuesday.
