A veteran NYPD sergeant acquired a slap on the wrist Wednesday after pleading responsible to slugging two handcuffed suspects — with a Manhattan choose saying the hothead cop simply “snapped.”
Sgt. Phillip Wong, a 16-year member of the division, was sentenced in Manhattan Supreme Court docket to 2 years of probation, 70 hours of neighborhood service and anger administration or counseling after pleading responsible to assault and tried assault.
Wong, 37, had confronted jail time after admitting to punching a suspect in a holding cell and attacking a person who yelled anti-Asian slurs at him throughout an arrest.
Prosecutors with the Manhattan District Legal professional’s Workplace had requested a 60-day sentence, stating the cop knew he was being investigated by the NYPD’s Inside Affairs Bureau for the primary assault when he pounced on a second suspect six months later.
However Appearing Supreme Court docket Justice Curtis Farber disagreed, sympathizing with Wong over the pressures of the uniform and citing the officer’s “unblemished” police document.
“As a result of stresses of this job, I perceive that he snapped,” Farber stated throughout the listening to.
Consequently, Wong “faces the lack of his profession and probably the lack of his pension,” the choose continued, saying the punishment imposed was “simply” underneath the circumstances.
Wong, who was assigned to Transit District 3, was indicted in July on costs of assault and tried assault for each incidents. The primary passed off on Oct. 4, 2019, after cops hauled an unruly 48-year-old suspect into the precinct.
The handcuffed man kicked a door and commenced spitting at officers as they tried to place him inside a holding cell — prompting Wong to leap in and punch him within the face, prosecutors stated.
The suspect needed to get stitches for a lower above his proper eye in consequence.
Then on April 29, 2020, Wong pounced on one other handcuffed man inside an Higher West Facet subway station. Wong and different cops had moved in to arrest the 35-year-old suspect after seeing him punch a passenger on a prepare at West 96th Road and Broadway, based on the indictment.
As he was being led out of the station, the perp kicked Wong and shouted anti-Asian slurs at him, prompting the cop and one other officer to take him to the bottom, prosecutors stated.
Wong knelt on the suspect’s again, as the person continued to taunt him — earlier than yelling, “I can’t breathe,” based on the indictment.
“I don’t give a f–okay for those who can breathe or not,” Wong allegedly replied as he punched the person within the facet of the face.
Wong had initially pleaded not responsible to the fees and was suspended with out pay. He was later reassigned to desk obligation on the NYPD’s fleet providers however is predicted to be fired, his lawyer stated.
The officer has an inner trial later this month, at which level division brass will determine whether or not to permit him to maintain his pension when he's canned.
“Legislation enforcement officers are sworn to serve and defend their communities, together with New Yorkers of their custody,” stated Manhattan District Legal professional Alvin Bragg in an announcement. “On this case, Sergeant Wong violated not solely his oath – however the legislation – throughout the violent arrests of two New Yorkers, on two separate events.”
Extra reporting by Craig McCarthy and Steven Hirsch
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