October 23, 2012

(JTA) — All charges have been dropped against a homeless man caught on tape being beaten by New York police Chabad youth center in Brooklyn.
Ehud Halevy, 21, was arrested Oct. 8 after the police beating on charges of assault, resisting arrest and trespassing.
The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office announced Monday afternoon that it would drop the charges against Halevy.
A video of the arrest was posted on the Internet on Oct. 14. It shows Halevy, who a volunteer security guard at the ALIYA Institute thought was drunk, exchanging words with a male police officer and pushing away the hands of the officer, who had taken out handcuffs. Shortly after, the cop assumes a fighting stance and takes several punches at Halevy, as he and a female officer wrestle Halevy to the couch where he was found sleeping.
During the two-minute incident, the female officer appears to use a truncheon and pepper spray on Halevy. Afterward, eight police officers arrive and handcuff Halevy.
Halevy reportedly had been given permission to sleep on the couch at the institute and had been doing so for about a month.
The charges against Halevy will be formally dropped at a Wednesday court hearing.
The New York Police Department’s internal affairs unit and the district attorney’s office are investigating the officers who beat Halevy.

Click here for complete coverage on the 2012 elections from JTA.

Click to write a letter to the editor.

This article was made possible by the support of readers like you. Donate to JTA now.