Punched Occupy Protester Sues NYPD

You may recall the video I posted in 2011 which clearly showed an Occupy Wall Street protester being sucker-punched by a member of the NYPD. Yesterday the victim filed a federal lawsuit.

Deputy Inspector Johnny Cardona punched Felix Rivera-Pitre — an HIV-positive activist — in the face, ripping an earing from his ear during an Oct. 14, 2011 protest in Downtown Manhattan, according to lawyer Ron Kuby. Rivera-Pitre appears in the footage to then fall to the ground, where Kuby said Cardona continued to hit him. "The assault was a completely well-documented criminal act by a deputy inspector captured on video tape losing his temper and punching someone," Kuby said. Kuby added that the suit is not requesting a specific amount of money but will be left up to a jury to decide. Cordona opened a complaint against Rivera-Pitre after the incident, claiming the activist assaulted him prior to the scuffle. But the NYPD agreed to not charge Rivera-Pitre until after the Manhattan District Attorney's Office finished an investigation into the incident, according to Kuby.

Here's the video again.