Watch the You Tube video above as it shows, a cop running out to body slam a cyclist who was taking part in a legal demonstration.
The former police officer, Patrick Pogan, was found guilty in a jury trial of lying on an official police report about what happened. Fortunately, the videotape clearly contradicted Pogon’s coverup.
Unfortunately, Judge Maxwell Riley imposed no punishment — none whatsoever — on Pogan. Pogan’s lawyer had asked for a ridiculously light sentence of community service. Not light enough, said Judge Riley, who evidently thinks that negative publicity is punishment enough for attempting to inflict bodily harm on a peaceable citizen, falsely arresting the citizen, and lying on a police report.
If cyclists in the New York metropolitan area are outraged, this isn’t the first time. Advertising copywriter and journalist Richard Rosenthal, who specializes in bicycle related subjects, recently catalogued on the website of the New York Cycle Club a list of outrages by cops and judges.
In one post on a lengthy bicycle club
bulletin board thread Rosenthal wrote:
Great reporting, Richard! And if you ever hear from Judge Wylie (or if, after a reasonable time you don't) please let us know.
Wylie joins Alpine Judge Robert L. Ritter (who has a Hackensack law practice) in those in law who can't bring themselves to rise to the responsibility of their position. Ritter found Wha S. Kim not guity of even a modest driving infraction when she came up from behind and killed Camille Savoy as he was, according to an accident reconstructionist and a police expert, biking on the shoulder of 9W.
Wylie joins the NYPD and prosecutors on Staten Island who couldn't bring themselves to so much as issue a ticket to Anthony Tasso, Jr., the 23 year old driver-killer of upper-50s bank examiner Jerome Allen, as Tasso drove his uncle's Lexus SUV with a suspended license.
Wylie joins the Queens NYPD and prosecutors who couldn't bring themselves to so much as issue a ticket to 23 year old Jose Vicens as he came up from behind and killed 14 year old Andre Anderson as he was riding his bike.
The list goes on and on: A spectacularly caring and humane physician, Dr. Carl Nacht. Killed while cycling. Driver not ticketed.
Dr. Rachel Fruchter, 57, a graduate of Oxford with a Ph.D. from Rockefeller, a biochemist and professor of obstetrics. Killed while cycling in Prospect Park. Driver, who was not supposed to be in the park as he was, was ticketed. For equipment failure. ..
Must we supinely hope for injury or death while cycling of those loved by those in authority before they can bestir themselves to exercise their authority in a just, even-handed way...
For starters, I'd say demand answers of those whose failure to act in accord with the law and their responsibility to enforce, prosecute, and adjudicate it. I am. I've written Justice Wylie to explain his thinking...
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