NYC police officer acquitted of assaulting unarmed, handcuffed Iraq vet; incident videotaped

NYC officer acquitted of assaulting unarmed man

NEW YORK — A New York City police officer has been acquitted of assaulting an unarmed, handcuffed Iraq war veteran and lying about the confrontation that was caught on videotape.

A jury delivered its verdict Monday in the case against David London.

Surveillance cameras in a Manhattan apartment building captured London using his baton to beat Walter Harvin in July 2008 after Harvin had pushed him. The blows continued after Harvin was knocked to the ground and cuffed.

London said he kept hitting Harvin because the Army veteran kept kicking at him and threatened to kill him.

Prosecutors said London used excessive force and then tried to cover it up by signing court papers falsely saying Harvin had punched him. London said he didn’t read the papers carefully.

Charges against Harvin were dropped.