A New York City police officer accused of punching someone 13 times pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge in a Manhattan courtroom on Wednesday morning.
Christian Zapata, 36, faces one count of third-degree assault. He entered the courtroom in handcuffs, dressed in a dark suit with a close-cropped beard and his hair combed back. After an officer removed the cuffs, the officer leaned forward, tapping his fingers on the table and stroking his beard.
Zapata only said a few words during the brief arraignment. Justice Michele Rodney released him without bail while he awaits trial.
“We will continue to impartially investigate instances where members of law enforcement use unnecessary force, because doing so is essential for enhancing public safety and confidence in the criminal justice system,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement.
Zapata is the latest in a series of NYPD members to face criminal charges since Bragg took office last year — including the inspector who led former Mayor Bill de Blasio’s security detail, an officer who pleaded guilty to beating a man inside a holding cell and an officer who was indicted on charges that he hit a man while trying to remove him from an Apple store. Prosecutors have requested a 60-day jail sentence, but Zapata could face up to a year behind bars if convicted.
Zapata’s attorney, Andrew Quinn, declined to speak after the arraignment and the police officer’s union did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The NYPD said he has been suspended without pay.
Prosecutors say Zapata and several other members of the NYPD were responding to a call about a child in emotional distress in December 2022 when a man inside the apartment asked the officers to put on face masks. The officers refused to wear them, according to the DA’s office, even after the man called 911 and asked a supervisor to intervene.
When the same man tried to check on the child, prosecutors say, Zapata told the man…
Read the full article here
Leave a Reply