Two officers are being investigated by the New York Police Department and the Brooklyn district attorney’s office following allegations of police brutality after reviewing video that shows them repeatedly striking a young Jewish man in Crown Heights.
The New York Times identified the officers as Luis A. Vega (who has now been placed on modified duty) and and another officer from the 71st Precinct, Yelena Bruzzese who beat Ehud Halevy, 21, on the holiday of Shmini Atzeres.
Internal Affairs Bureau investigators also referred the case to the Civilian Complaint Review Board, an independent agency that investigates allegations of abuse of authority by the police, the report said.
According to a criminal complaint, the officers said Halevy had attacked them, causing one to suffer a sprained wrist, during an encounter on Oct. 8 in the Aliya Institute on E New York Avenue, the Times said.
But the video posted on COLlive.com on Sunday night shows otherwise.
“It does not show Mr. Halevy striking either officer, though he does pull away from Officer Vega, using an arm to push off the officer and break free. The video was taken by a surveillance camera in the center’s lounge,” the newspaper said.
VIDEO: Monday’s press conference
Speakers (in order of appearance):
Dov Hikind, New York State Assemblyman
Barry Sugar, Jewish Leadership Council
John Liu, New York City Comptroller
Chanina Sperlin, intergovernmental liaison of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council
Letitia James, New York City Council member
Karim Camara, New York State Assemblyman
Rabbi Moshe Feiglin, Director of Aliya Institute in Crown Heights
Zaki Tamir, Chairman of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council
Eric Adams, New York State Senate member
Bill de Blasio, New York City Public Advocate
Hit the nail on the head!
Typically cops are suspended with pay, which is essentially a paid vacation. Here is what will happen in a police brutality case:
1. no video……nothing
2. video, no press….suspended with pay, then returned to duty
3. video with press…something will happen, only to further a political agenda.
Nice overall united message
Lets focus on these kids and the vacume that Alliya is serving. Wake up Crown Heights and Yidden in general. Lets support groups like Alliya and Yam who are trying on a shoe string budget to SAVE OUR KIDS. These are the organizations that should get TOP FUNDING. They are doing what is most important; trying to SAVE OUR KIDS with IN REACH. Giverim, this should be TOP PRIORITY NOW. They don’t need a fancy building. They need a serious well rounded program with the best in spiritual and educational tools and guidance. IF we don’t take care of our… Read more »
Why the *expletive* would you believe th trash out there fter al youve seen said about eretz yisroel
A suggestion would be Zaki Tamir. Effective, well spoken, smart and passionate! — LOL! The real leaders, such as Shea Hecht, are nowhere to be seen. That speaks volumes. You in CH need to do some real spring cleaning. People from outside come to visit, and they are sick of the disorder and dirt. Moishe Feiglin at least tries to keep troubled kids off the street, but he can’t clean up years of bad parenting and schooling combined with an over-the-top open-door policy that equates ahavas Yisroel with letting those who belong in padded cells run amok. Add to that… Read more »
Halevi did assault the officer. Halevi assaulted officer’s fist with his face.
Hikind was doing us no favor by attacking the commander. How should he have stopped these two bad apples from the attack. He was sleeping peacefully at 4 am and had nothing to do with it. The blame is squarely with those two thug cops. Unless, Hikind knows something I don’t like if he covered up those crimes knowingly (with knowledge of facts… not just what those two officers fed him).
first of all, this guy was wearing pants. second of all who the he– cares where he was sleeping, he should NOT have been beaten like that. third of all that was not very smart of the watchman. Anyone with a fraction of a brain knows that you don’t go to the so called police because they don’t give a da– about us. fourth of all, the media is only out for sensationalism, NOT TRUE FACTS! what the news reports is a pack of OUTRIGHT LIES. I would not bring a newspaper into my house as its all just lies… Read more »
only the non jews speak well[and dov hikind]
The video was taken down…seems someone with power prefers street closings to our childrens safety.
Get your eyesight fixed and stop reading trashy newspapers!
if you look at the video you can clearly see the man being awakened WITH CLOTHS ON and in the lounge area and NOT IN THE WOMENS AREA. and the papers LIE,
That was a false story the police immediately put out to the jewish community leaders and the news, to answer the charge of why they beat the jew….once the police were informed that there was a video recording, they changed their story! YTLM
well said
thank you
not the only incident with the police… much more going on in this aliya troubles makers??
Sue Sue and Sue, if you want to see change there is only one way Sue them, you will win and this will not happen again. End of story.
NO!!!! HES WEARING PANTS!!! anything they say is pulling a leg!! this is a disgrace and i will suffer with nightmares forever!!
Who cares on which side of the mechitza he was sleeping or what he was/n’t wearing? He was unarmed and didn’t hit the officer so the officer was totally out of line and clearly let his ego get the best of him and got out of control.
If he same beating was given to a black man and caught on camera the officer would be, at the very least, on administrative LEAVE – keeping him on the force at all with such a video gone viral is just mind boggling.
Welcome to America where there are civil rights for some…
We come across as illiterates “our children is on stake over here.” Indeed.
#7 kudos for bringing that to our attention. Now that gives a totally different slant on the story. Maybe ge was told politely he couldn’t sleep there as it was a womans section and refuses to leave. I mean would you want your daughter in the same building with a bochur dressed like that, no shirt or tzitsis or yarmulkah. Strewth, please check the facts before we all jump to conclusions. He could of been a violent or mentally deranged person. So let’s hold off judgement until we know the full story. Next question, how did a bochur get into… Read more »
I think that our community is viewed by, and the severity of the situation is measured by how it is presented and spoken about to the public in such a conference. Please consider only giving the microphone to those that can speak on our behalf effectively. A suggestion would be Zaki Tamir. Effective, well spoken, smart and passionate!
he should have went to feiglin or consulted someone before calling the police ……..and he left and actually saw them beat from the door
shame on you
To all of those wondering. Ehud is B”H miraculously doing much better physically and he’s holding strong in all other area’s.
He now has a top notch legal team Representing him.
To those calling for a protest, there hopefully will be one just keep your eye’s and ear’s open and don’t be shy about joining.
we must stand up to bullies & thugs otherwise it it gets repeated!
‘One of the officers’ and ‘Modified duty’.. this pathetic response is a natural consequence of a long history of anti Jewish sentiment from many parties, that has been given free reign in Crown Heights. Let’s not hide it under the carpet anymore. The media should not see this as an isolated incident. The almost daily difficulties encountered by the Jewish residents who are by and large the most law abiding- from the police and other residents in the neighborhood- should be described to the media sources. It should be stressed and stressed again that this follows a very long history… Read more »
Modify his arms and legs. When a city (or country) is run by ignorant thugs, especially those with no education or morals of their own, the first people to be stepped on will be anyone of whom they harbor jealousy (Jews are a breeding ground for this, we are a self made and blessed ppl despite our endless persecution) towards, and no understanding or respect of….basis for anti Semitism. This is Gds way of reminding us we never stood up for the sickening story by similar cops that took place erev yom tov last year! Wake up and smell the… Read more »
Lets break this down and look at what is going on……..1. A jew man is attacked without provocation! 2. Instead of the police “investigating” the call, they chose to be “judge, jury and executioner” and resolve the matter by beating this young man! 3. The police then lied to the jewish leaders by saying “the perp attacked the police officer, and resisted arrest (unbeknown to PD a video recorded the entire incident). 4. A press conference was held and leadership demanded accountability…what exactly happens with this press conference ? Who follows up ? And who will the police answer too… Read more »
Let’s break this down and understand what is going on……..1. A jew man is attacked without provecation! 2. Instead of the police “investigating” the call, they chose to be “judge, jury and excutioner” and resolve the matter by beating this young man! 3. The police then lied to the jewish leaders by saying “the perp attacked the police officer, and resisted arrest (unbeknown to PD a video recorded the entire incident). 4. A press conference was held and leadership demanded accountability…what exactly happens with this press conference ? Who follows up ? And who will the police answer too ?… Read more »
In Williansburg this would never happen.
Why was a 21 year old bochur sleeping at Aliya and what are we doing about it?
Nice to see all the elected officials coming together to support our community. Hope it makes sure that this wont happen again and that the cops are punished as they deserve.
kol hakavod to Dov Hikind for his active support.
I read somewhere in the news the he was sleeping without clothing in the womens section of aliyah and thats why they called the police.
if this is true why was it not mentioned?
What did the civilian say to them?
What is HaLevy’s medical condition?
What is the protocol in NY to apply restraint without harm to an unarmed suspect? Punch him repeatedly ??
Was this attack racially motivated,Mr..ACLU lawyer ?
Dovid Benveniste,Tsfat
Duty should be suspended period! If this was any other community it would have been.
What does “Modified Duty” mean
the officer sprained his wrist by attacking the victim.
Can anyone update as to how the poor bochur is feeling? There has not been one word as to his status…
A fellow jew