Two NYPD detectives have been accused of assaulting a letter carrier who had little involvement to the death of two other police officers. A previous case involving one of the accused was also uncovered where he was described as a "hothead" by his victim.
NYPD detectives Angelo Pampena and Robert Carbone were arraigned last Wednesday following their attack on Karim Baker who is working as a letter carrier. According to CBS Local, on October 21, 2015, Baker was getting on his car in the 96th street when he was approached by detectives using their unmarked vehicle.
He was allegedly kicked and punched numerous times before getting dragged into the street. Baker was later admitted to the Elmhurst Hospital to receive treatment from the injuries he acquired. He was also later charged with disorderly conduct.
According to NBC New York, Pampena went on to state that Baker was parked in front of a fire hydrant. However, his claim was later proven false by the court after a surveillance video later showed that Baker's car was 15 feet away from the hydrant Pampena mentioned. The case filed against Baker was eventually dropped and a perjury case was filed against Pampena.
Baker was associated to the death of NYPD officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos who were shot by a man named Ismaaiyl Brinsley. Before getting to his targeted police officers, Brinsley came across Baker and sought for directions, which Baker gave.
Brinsley went on to shoot the officers through his cruiser window before taking his own life. Baker was initially involved in the case but his name was eventually cleared. Since then, Baker claimed that the police have been visiting his home, and workplace. He also added that he has been pulled over numerous times after.
Meanwhile, as reported by New York Daily News, a separate case in 2010 also placed Pampena in as the accused in a suit filed by a man named Jason Urena. According to Urena, he was leaving a friend's party when the police arrived following a noise complaint.
Urena claimed that Pampena followed him to his apartment and got angry when he complained. Pampena allegedly went on to strike his left hand with a baton. Pampena's beating reportedly resulted into a fracture. "He's a hothead," Urena said. The suit was settled at $30,000 without admission of wrongdoing from the accused party.
As for Baker's case, Pampena and Carbone have been charged with second and third degree assault, that if proven correct would correspond to a seven years of jail time. Both men are veterans after serving the NYPD for nine and eight years, respectively.
