Gay black man’s lawsuit against the NYPD and New York City is thrown out
A judge has thrown out a lawsuit by a gay black man against New York City and the men responsible in a beating against him in the city.
Pinchas Braver, 22, and Abraham Winkler, 42, earlier this year pleaded guilty in Brooklyn Supreme Court to unlawful imprisonment for their part in the 2013 assault on Taj Patterson in Williamsburg, NY Post reports.
Patterson, 25, suffered a broken eye socket and torn retina following the attack, in which witnesses said the Hasidic suspects were shouting anti-gay remarks at the victim.
The attack was investigated by the NYPD’s Hate Crimes Unit.
Brooklyn Federal Judge Nicholas Garaufis said Patterson’s allegations were “troubling” but said there was not enough evidence to prove the negligence of the NYPD.
The judge also threw out a complaint against Mayer Herskiovic, a third defendant, who had rejected a plea deal.
Herskiovic was convicted of gang assaut and sentenced to four years in jail last year.
He and 20 others surrounded Patterson as he walked home from a friend’s birthday party.
The two suspects got plea deals after the prosecution’s main witnesses changed their accounts of what happened, leaving the DA with too little evidence of bias.
Both men were handed three years’ probation and 150 hours of community service – which will be served in a “culturally diverse neighborhood outside of where this unlawful imprisonment took place.”
Aharon Hollender and Joseph Fried were the other alleged attackers. Charges against them were dismissed in 2014 and 2015.
Earlier this month, a UK man was arrested after a violent attack that left his victim with a broken jaw.
The victim – former model Aaron Carey – was attacked outside Legends, the seafront bar and hotel, according to Brighton and Hove News.
His attacker shouted homophobic abuse at him, before punching him in the face and breaking his jaw.
Sussex Police said that a 21-year-old man from London was held on suspicion of assault and causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent.
