NYPD Inspector Cleared of Excessive Force Charges, Officers Found Guilty in George Floyd Protest Case
An NYPD inspector has been cleared of internal excessive force charges connected to a 2020 George Floyd protest, as per a recent report. At the same time, two other officers were found guilty by the department in relation to the incident.
During his trial at the NYPD headquarters in March, Inspector Jesse Lance testified that Kedwin Payamps and other bicyclists acted as “obstructionists” by blocking officers from performing their duties on June 4, 2020. This happened during a demonstration in Clinton Hill, where people in the crowd threw bottles at the police.
Lance explained that he used his baton to hit Payamps’ backpack twice, using the least amount of force necessary.
The Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) handled the excessive force charges. Payamps stated in his testimony that he was riding his bicycle away from the protest when Lance confronted him. He described how a group of officers rushed him and arrested him for violating an 8 p.m. curfew near Washington Ave. and Fulton St.
NYPD Inspector’s Not Guilty Verdict Supported by Commissioner
Inspector Lance, with 24 years of experience on the force, was accused of making misleading statements to the CCRB initially. He claimed he couldn’t identify himself in the video of the incident. However, he later mentioned that he went through 1,700 documents related to the demonstration and watched the video over 100 times.
NYPD Judge Jeff Adler rejected the CCRB’s request to dock Lance’s vacation pay and put him on dismissal probation. Instead, the judge recommended that Lance be found not guilty. This recommendation was approved by then-NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell on July 16, according to the Daily News.
Lance’s attorney, Lou La Pietra, noted that the charges stemming from the Floyd protest were “exaggerated,” and the not guilty verdict was based on “common sense and the proper application of Police Department rules and law.”
Another Officer Found Guilty
On the other hand, Det. Corey Johnson, who was also present at the Floyd demonstration in Clinton Hill, was found guilty of excessive force charges. This came after he was caught on camera shoving former WNYC Radio journalist Nick Pinto to the ground while trying to clear the area. Pinto reportedly did not sustain any injuries. Sewell decided to deduct five vacation days from Johnson’s leave as a consequence.
In conclusion, the recent developments shed light on the outcomes of the internal proceedings related to the 2020 George Floyd protest incident. While one officer was cleared of charges, others faced consequences for their actions during the demonstration. The decisions were based on evaluations by the NYPD and the Civilian Complaint Review Board.