Police State USANEW YORK CITY, NY – Disturbing video captured a man being brutally beaten by police after he was discovered sleeping on a couch inside a synagogue. The man was struck dozens of times with fists and a baton, even though the man had permission to be there. The beating was ruled justified and the officers were cleared.
The incident took place during the early morning hours of October 8th, 2012. Ehud Halevy, 22, was sleeping in the back room of the A.L.I.Y.A. (Alternative Learning Institute for Young Adults) building in Crown Heights. The facility is a synagogue and outreach center for troubled youths.
Halvey had received permission to sleep there for the night, yet a security guard had evidently not been made aware. Although individuals were sometimes allowed to sleep there, the guard decided to call the police instead of simply talking to the man himself.
Two NYPD officers from the 71st Precinct arrived and roused Halevy, who was sleeping shirtless on a couch. Surveillance video shows Officers Luis Vega and Yelena Bruzzese getting grabby with the man, who in turn tried to keep himself from falling into their clutches.
That’s when the cops unleashed a torrent of New York-style brutality on the man. Officer Luis Vega, 49, slugged Mr. Halevy in the face, toppling him backward onto the couch. Vega then got on top of his prey and repeatedly struck him with both fists, as Halevy curled up in a ball and tried to protect himself.
The onslaught continued as Officer Bruzzese assisted in pummeling Halevy with her truncheon. The bludgeoning continued as a third officer arrived and helped to drag the victim onto the floor.
In total Ehud Halevy was struck over 50 times. See the disturbing video here:
Even though Mr. Halevy was the one who received the beating, it was he who was charged with assault — along with resisting arrest, and trespassing. He was taken to jail and remained there for 4 days.
The story really took off when Rabbi Moshe Feiglin, who runs the youth center, confirmed that Halevy was not trespassing and had been staying at the center for a month. The incident was all one big, brutal, misunderstanding.
As the community grew angry over the injustice, Halevy acquired a lawyer and began fighting the charges.
“When we watched the video and saw some of New York’s finest behaving in a not very fine way, brutalizing an individual for absolutely no reason, it was just something horrible,” said Brooklyn Assemblyman Dov Hikind according to the NYPost.
“This person had permission to be there,” Hikind said. “There was no issue. Regardless, the behavior of the police department, of two individuals, is beyond comprehension, a very sad moment for me personally.”
In March 2014, Mr. Halevy was finally given a settlement from the city for $100,000.
While taxpayers have attempted to give reparations to another victim of the police, the actual abusers have yet to face any personal consequences. Officer Luis Vega was given a “modified assignment” (desk duty) and ultimately cleared of his violent attack. His partner, Officer Bruzzese, received no reprimand at all.
wait until the reprimand comes from the citizens..its going to be even more ugly than this
I agree Tom,just insane that we as citizens even need to consider much less think this way.
Man, if I’m ever put in a situation like that, I feel sorry for the cop(s). I no longer look like it, but trying to subdue a US Army Infantry Veteran would be a difficult venture indeed (especially if one is a woman like the one above). It would be a BIG MISTAKE on their part. And while I may not win, they will damn sure think twice before they did it again (if they are even able to). There wouldn’t even be time to pull out their tazers. That’s a FACT.
Stay Alert, Stay Alive