The New York City Police Benevolent Association (PBA) announced Thursday that an NYPD officer accused of punching a erratic man who allegedly harassed customers outside an Apple Store has been cleared of all charges.
The PBA charges New York City police officer Salvatore Provenzano with assault after a Manhattan judge charged him with assault for a punch he fired in defense of a repeat offender who caused a disturbance at an Apple store on the Upper West Side in 2021. announced that he had been declared not guilty.
“We are grateful to the judge in this case.” [made] This is the only correct decision to acquit our police officer,” PBA President Patrick Hendry said following the verdict.
Provenzano was indicted by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office in July 2023, even though the suspect was not injured and two security guards who were witnesses were not called to testify before a grand jury. Regardless, he was suspended without pay.
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An NYPD police officer accused of punching an unruly man inside an Apple Store on the Upper West Side three years ago has been acquitted, police union representatives announced Thursday. (X/@NYCPBA)
Mr. Hendry added that although Mr. Provenzano was found not guilty, the case did not fit with the prosecution’s version and should not have been tried in court.
“This was never about fairness or justice, this was about the derailment of a hard-working police officer. That was the purpose of this case from the beginning,” Hendry explained.
Hendry said the man accused of assault by Provenzano was accused of threatening the safety of the store, throwing himself on the floor and causing a disturbance by refusing to leave for more than 30 minutes. He was also reportedly banned from the Apple Store.
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Manhattan State Attorney Alvin Bragg leaves 80 Center Street in New York City after speaking at a press conference on February 8, 2024. (Barry Williams of New York Daily News via Getty Images)
Other officers who witnessed the altercation reportedly tried to intervene and dissuade the man, but to no avail.
“Officer Provenzano was simply doing his job and trying to protect himself and the public from someone who had repeatedly caused a disturbance in the workplace. We are grateful that the court recognized that reality and acquitted him. “Unfortunately, a lot of damage was done,” Hendry said.
The police union argued that prosecuting Provenzano was a waste of time.
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“A talented, hard-working police officer has been sidelined for nearly a year, and police officers in this borough fear that their careers will be derailed by baseless charges,” Manhattan prosecutors say. “We need to stop wasting time and resources targeting police officers over nonsense and start working with them. We need to address real public safety issues,” Hendry said.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
