A young man left with severe facial injuries after a brutal beating by Nassau County Police Department (NYPD) officers during a routine traffic stop is suing the department.
Video of the incident shows 20 year old Kyle Howell was repeatedly punched, kicked and kneed in the face by two Nassau County cops after he was pulled over in a routine traffic stop on 25th April — he was then pulled out of the car and arrested. Astonishingly, it was Howell who came out of the incident charged with second-degree assault.
“It’s horrible,” Howell’s lawyer, Amy Marion, who filed notice of the suit on Monday, “If it was any of my clients they’d be arrested for attempted murder,” she said.
Howell was pulled over by police because the windshield of the car he was driving was cracked, according to a criminal complaint against him.
The video shows officers pulled open both doors of the 2002 Honda and looked inside.
Police say Howell had marijuana in his glove box and stuffed it in his mouth in a bid to get rid of the contraband, and that they found a small bag of cocaine inside the car. Which, even if true, is no explanation for the savage beating Howell received moments later.
Howell’s lawyer said the officers became incensed when he started recording the interaction on his smartphone and didn’t immediately comply with orders to hand over his license and registration.
“There’s nothing that can justify this kind of behavior,” Marion said. “Nothing.”
The video clearly shows one of the officers, who had walked back to the rear of Howell’s car, suddenly ran toward the front passenger door and attacked Howell through the open door. Seconds later Howell is seen receiving vicious and repeated attacks from both officer.
According to his lawyer, Howell suffered multiple fractures to his face and could have permanent damage to his vision.
The Nassau County District Attorney’s Office is reviewing the case.
“We’ve seen this video and have been investigating both the actions of the officers as well as the charges that the police filed against Mr. Howell,” Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice said in a statement.
Nassau County Police declined to comment.