LONG ISLAND (PIX11) — Kyle Howell, 20, walked out of the Nassau Criminal Court House a happy man.
A judge dismissed the drug, assault and resisting arrest charges against him. The reason: surveillance video captured his arrest and showed what Howell said was police brutality.
“I want to thank my family and the District Attorney for giving me justice,” Howell said.
Two police officers stopped Howell in April in Westbury, Long Island. The video has no audio and it’s not clear exactly what happens inside the car, but Howell’s lawyer, Amy Marion, said it shows two officers beating her client.
All charges against Howell were dropped. The DA will continue to investigate the case.
“The strength of that video tape really did speak volumes and tell us everything that we needed to know,” Marion said.
The Howell family now wants the officers to be prosecuted. But according to the Nassau County police union, the two are good officers. James Carver, president of the Police Benevolent Association, said it was Howell who resisted arrest and that prompted the officers to use, what they call, necessary force.
“He’s the one speeding that day. He’s the one that had drugs in his car. He’s the one that escalated this incident, refused to be placed under arrest,” Carver said.
The District Attorney’s office said Monday it is continuing its investigation of this case.
