NYPD officer on trial for allegedly stomping man's head
NEW YORK -- An NYPD officer went on trial in Brooklyn Tuesday in a notorious excessive force case that was caught on video, CBS New York reported.
Police said Jahmiel Cuffee, 32, was allegedly resisting as officers attempted to handcuff him in Bedford-Stuyvesant on July 23, 2014, on suspicion of marijuana possession.
Officer Joel Edouard was seen on video walking away as other officers took over, but Edouard suddenly returned, briefly pulled his gun, and appeared to stomp on the suspect's head, prosecutors said.
In court Tuesday, prosecutor Marc Fliedner said Edouard was "fueled by his own blind and uncontrolled anger" when he allegedly stomped on Cuffee's head like he was "stomp(ing) on a roach that you intend to kill."
"No police officer could possibly believe that act to be necessary," Fliedner said.
But defense attorney Anthony Ricco told the court, "Some think they have a right to drink and smoke weed in public and resist arrest," adding, "A civilian is not entitled to resist arrest."
Gary Dormer recorded the video of the confrontation and testified Tuesday.
"I seen an unjust situation take place right before me," he told CBS New York reporter Steve Langford outside court.
Dormer testified that other police officers at the scene that night appeared just as shocked as he was at the sight.
"They tried to stop the officer in question from continuing his force," Dormer said.
An officer who was at the scene testified in court that he "saw a foot come up and down" without saying on which exact part of the body. But when asked, "Whose leg?" the officer responded, "Officer Edouard's."
After the arrest, Cuffee said he suffered scrapes, bruises and headaches. All charges against him were dismissed, WCBS 880's Alex Silverman reported at the time.
Both Edouard and Cuffee were scheduled to testify on Wednesday. A verdict from the judge in the bench trial is expected Friday.
Edouard could face a year in jail if found guilty of the misdemeanor assault charge.