Cop Seen In Bike Shove Pleads Not Guilty

A New York City police officer who was shown in a YouTube video knocking a bicyclist to the pavement in Times Square during a protest has pleaded not guilty to charges related to the incident.

Patrick Pogan, 23, was arraigned Tuesday on two felony and three misdemeanor charges in state Supreme Court. He was released without bail and told to return to court Feb. 4.

Pogan is accused of knocking Christopher Long off his bicycle without justification on June 25 during a protest. Pogan had filed charges of resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and obstructing government administration against Long, but those charges were dismissed.

Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau said Pogan was charged with falsifying business records and filing a false instrument. Both are felonies punishable by one and one-third to four years in prison.

He also faces misdemeanor charges of third-degree assault, second-degree harassment and making a punishable false written statement.

Morgenthau said Pogan falsified details in the criminal complaint and other paperwork related to Long's arrest. Morgenthau said Pogan claimed in the paperwork that Long steered his bike into the officer and injured him.

Morgenthau said the incident was recorded by an onlooker and that the video posted on YouTube showed "Pogan singling out Long and purposely body-checking Long off the bike."

Long suffered a back abrasion, lower back pain and small cuts and bruises, Morgenthau said.

"The bicyclist's actions before my client took action caused him to take the action he did," defense lawyer Stuart London said as he left court.

Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said, "It's certainly sad and disappointing to see any officer indicted, particularly one who had only been out of the Police Academy three weeks."

Assistant District Attorney Richard Buckheit said Pogan, whose father is a retired New York Police Department detective, was suspended from the NYPD. Buckheit said that as a probationary officer, Pogan could face dismissal from the force even if he is cleared of all criminal charges.

The YouTube video has received some 1.6 million views. Daniel Castleman, Morgenthau's top deputy, said the investigation of the incident resulted in large part from that video.