An NYPD officer was charged with criminal misconduct for sitting on a handcuffed suspect and pepper spraying him in the face, the New York Daily News reported.
Philip Fioranelli was released after pleading not guilty.
According to prosecutors, on May 18 Fioranelli was working a paid security shift at a Manhattan parking garage when he got into a skirmish with Aqil Alshimary, who reportedly refused to provide a ticket to retrieve his car.
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During the fight, Fioranelli tripped over a bicycle rack and then pulled his gun, after which Alshimary immediately complied with orders to get on the ground with his hands behind his back and he was handcuffed, according to the report.
Fioranelli then mounted Alshimary, took out his pepper spray and began spraying him in the face and mouth, the News reported.
“Approximately two minutes later, “[Fioranelli] again took out the O.C. Spray and deployed it directly in Alshimary’s face" and stayed mounted on Alshimary for more than three-and-a-half minutes, “intermittently and gratuitously yanking at the neck” of his sweatshirt, prosecutors said.
Read more at the New York Daily News.
