A former New York City police officer has been convicted of assault after he and his partner punched a man in the face six times while on patrol, breaking his nose.
Former police officer Juan Pérez was found guilty on Thursday of assaulting Borim Hussenazi while on duty on Nov. 10, 2021.
“Today a judge found former NYPD Officer Perez guilty of assault for punching an individual six times in the face,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said. “Police officers hold important positions of trust in our city, and holding accountable those who violate that trust is essential to maintaining lasting public safety.”
Perez and his partner were responding to a radio call when they saw Hussenazi, then 26, behaving erratically and carrying a liquor bottle in the Greenwich Village neighborhood, according to indictments filed last year. Associated Press.
After the argument, Perez pinned Hussenazi against a wall and attempted to handcuff him.
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A former New York City police officer was convicted of assault for punching a man in the face six times while on patrol in 2021, breaking his nose. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Perez and Hsenazi then fell to the ground, at which point Perez “began viciously punching” Hsenazi, who was “lying defenseless on the ground,” according to prosecutors.
Hsenazi moved to live with his family in Kosovo in January 2022 and committed suicide two months later, but was treated for a broken nose after the assault. A lawsuit filed by Hsenazi’s estate against Perez and the city of New York last year said Hsenazi also suffered “emotional and psychological injuries, pain, suffering, mental distress, and economic and monetary damages.”
The lawsuit says the “savage assault and violence” increased Hussenazi’s fear and paranoia, which were “substantial contributing factors” in his suicide.
Hussenazi’s family released a statement following Perez’s guilty verdict, thanking the district attorney’s office and Judge Maxwell Wiley.
“Because Bolim is no longer with us, we cannot live to see justice served and his honor restored,” his family said. “Today was a wonderful day for our family and all New Yorkers.”
Perez retired from the police department last year. His lawyer, Stuart London, told The New York Times that his client “ran to the scene to assist an individual” but “when that individual attacked Perez, all Perez did was thwart the threat.”
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Former police officer Juan Pérez was convicted Thursday of assaulting Borim Hussenazi on Nov. 10, 2021. (iStock)
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Patrick Hendry, president of the Police Benevolent Association, argued that Perez’s conviction sent a “horrifying message” to officers who “face violent attacks on our streets every day”.
“We cannot protect our citizens if this happens when they are trying to protect themselves,” Hendry said in a statement. “We believe this verdict ignores all the facts, and we will be assisting the officers in their immediate appeal.”
Chris Dunn, legal director for the New York Civil Liberties Union, praised Bragg’s office for filing the lawsuit that led to Perez’s conviction.
“When the district attorney prosecutes police officers, it sends a clear message to police officers that they are not above the law,” Dunn told The Associated Press. “We need more accountability from police.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
