An NYPD officer was charged on Wednesday with assaulting a 19-year-old man while on duty last year and then lying about it to his superiors and prosecutors, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. said.
Elijah Saladeen, a 19-year veteran of the department, was responding to a report of possible trespassing at an apartment on West 17th Street on Feb. 24, 2017, when he punched the victim in the face and head, according to the district attorney’s office.
While waiting for an ambulance to take the victim to the hospital, Saladeen allegedly dragged the man behind the building and assaulted him again, punching him in the ribs and abdomen.
“This defendant is charged with flagrantly abusing his position as an officer of the law when he beat and dragged a young man and then lied about the attack to his superiors, to prosecutors, and in official charging documents,” Vance said in an emailed statement on Wednesday. “The alleged conduct does not only violate the oath he took to protect and to serve; it also weakens the public trust in law enforcement.”
Saladeen, 48, of the Bronx, pleaded not guilty to charges of assault, attempted assault, making a punishable false written statement and offering a false instrument for filing, per the district attorney’s office. The judge set a personal recognizance bond of $50,000.
The NYPD said he was suspended without pay, but declined to comment further on the allegations.
