NYPD DI Johnny Cardona and the moment prior to his punch
NYPD Deputy Inspector Johnny Cardona (right) hits protester Felix Rivera-Pitre (green shirt), as Occupy Wall Street activists clash with police in the Financial District on Oct. 14, 2011.
– Cop who punched Occupy Wall Street protester gets tax-free disability pension (NY Daily News, June 13, 2014):
Deputy Inspector Johnny Cardona has been granted three-quarters tax free disability pension of roughly $120,000 a year for injuries suffered during his violent encounter with Felix Rivera-Pitre n the Financial District in October 2011.
A NYPD cop caught in a violent confrontation with an Occupy Wall Street protester has been granted a tax-free disability pension for injuries suffered during the confrontation, the Daily News has learned.
Video captured Deputy Inspector Johnny Cardona, punching Felix Rivera-Pitre during a demonstration in the Financial District on Oct. 14, 2011.
The NYPD said Rivera-Pitre, then 37, was the instigator and tried to elbow Cardona.
Roy Richter, head of the Captains Endowment Association, said other video shows Cardona caught in a headlock and that Cardona was trampled and hurt so badly he suffered back injuries and needed hip replacement surgery and operations on both knees.
This week, sources said, the NYPD pension board granted Cardona, 50, a three-quarters tax free disability pension — roughly $120,000 a year.
Neither Rivera-Pitre, nor Cardona, were charged in the incident, but Rivera-Pitre, an artist, filed a lawsuit and settled for $55,000.
Ron Kuby, his lawyer, was incredulous to learn about Cardona’s pension.
“What’s his disability?” Kuby asked. “He hurt his fist when he punched Occupy Wall Street protesters? If he went out on a psychological disability that would have been appropriate.
“At least he’s off the force.”
Rivera-Pitre, living in a commune in Tennessee, could not be reached for comment
Over the years, we have seen so many policemen who have ‘exceeded’ their authority, resulting in injury, and even death to so many individuals, who, after investigation were either totally innocent bystanders or legally entitled protesters at some or other infringement of either human rights, constitutional rights or mere principles.
The trend is definitely in favour of authority.
However, one must balance this with the evidence of injuries and deaths incurred by policemen just doing their jobs, which has dropped by 23%.
In response to Squodgy: I see police becoming far more violent and indifferent to the needs of the people…..more interested in what they can gain. The amount of illegal drugs and other items that are seized by these clowns only to hit the streets again with them as the salesmen has skyrocketed in the US. The assistant DA of a well known city was my in-law’s drug dealer for years…..and that was in the 1960s…..it has gotten much worse.
I have to compare this jerk’s behavior with the one who grabbed a OWS protester by her breast (a very delicate and sensitive part of a woman’s body), and when she responded automatically by elbowing him, she now faces 7 years in prison.
There is no justice in America. If your police have gotten better, I am happy to hear it. I wish I could come there to live. The US has become a nightmare.
$120K tax free? That is equal to an income far exceeding $300K….it is so frigging unfair.
I have just found a story that surprises me not……the US has been creating terrorist stories to sell their lies and BS…….Goddamn, people have to wake up!
http://rt.com/usa/166060-usa-fbi-terrorism-prosecutions/
The US has been forced to evacuate much of the staff in the Iraq enormous embassy that asshole Bush built……..50,000 staff made up of $100K a year contract warriors, at our expense.
http://rt.com/news/166080-iraq-tal-afar-isis/