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‘I never thought something like this would happen to me.’ Second teen says he was assaulted by Paterson police officer. | Paterson Times

‘I never thought something like this would happen to me.’ Second teen says he was assaulted by Paterson police officer.

Rosdward-Hernandez

A second teenager on Tuesday afternoon alleged he was viciously attacked by a Paterson police officer in November.

Rosdward Hernandez was walking to Thanksgiving dinner via Main Street on November 26, 2020. He tried to help a homeless person by offering to buy food for them when a policewoman approached him, according to his attorney Stephanie Luzzi.

Luzzi said the policewoman allegedly began to verbally abuse the homeless person. She said Hernandez told the policewoman not to abuse the homeless individual, who appeared to suffer from mental illness.

The unidentified policewoman allegedly cursed at Hernandez and warned him back up was coming, said Luzzi.

“Moments later, officer Kevin Patino arrived on the scene and without any verbal commands or warnings began shoving Rosdward multiple times in the chest. Patino then escalated the confrontation further by throwing Rosdward onto the sidewalk and began punching him at least six times to the left side of his face,” said Luzzi during a virtual news conference on Tuesday afternoon. “Rosdward was beaten so badly that he couldn’t see out of his left eye because it was swollen shot.”

Rosdward was later charged with assaulting a police officer, said Luzzi. She accused Patino of fabricating the charges against her client.

Patino is one of the four officers involved in the December 14, 2020 incident involving Osamah Alsidi. A video of that incident, which shows police officers repeatedly punching Alsidi without provocation, went viral over the weekend prompting the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office to open an investigation into the case.

Three – Kevin Patino, Kendry Tineo, Bishnu McKnight – of the four officers were reassigned to desk duty on Tuesday, said officials.

Hernandez had to be taken to the emergency room after the attack. He continues to suffer from the injuries, said his attorney.

“I never thought something like this would happen to me,” said Hernandez, who was 18 years old when the attack happened. “As I was attacked by the officer, everything changed — it wasn’t the same Rosdward.”

Hernandez is going through therapy as a result of the alleged attack.

“He was the victim of a malicious attack enabled by a police department whose culture is characterized by violence and dishonesty,” said Luzzi.

Public safety director Jerry Speziale did not respond to a call for comment on Tuesday afternoon.

Selaedin Maksut, executive director for Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in New Jersey, said the alleged attacks on Alsidi and Hernandez were “heinous and gruesome.” He urged authorities to file charges against the officers involved in both incidents.

“I’m disappointed, disgusted, and frustrated that this is still happening. But we are so lucky right now that Osamah and Rosdward are alive and with us today,” said Zellie Thomas, a leader in the Black Lives Matter in Paterson.

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  • Resident41

    The first video proves that these cops got 0 credibility. I really wouldn’t want to be in Their shoes and wouldn’t be surprised if a bunch of victims start coming out. They need to be fired not behind a desk. I sure wouldn’t want them handling my paperwork.

    • OBED SANTOS

      What happened before the beat down tho

      • Resident41

        The fact that they lie on the police report and got caught makes their word worth zero. Nothing that they described happen and they got caught.

  • OBED SANTOS

    I laugh at the BLM terrorist Zellie Thomas scumbag racist

  • WakeUpPaterson

    Your F***ING kidding me right. Another one. These are our young adults. Imagine how screwed up their minds will be now. Imagine the other young adults who will read this story. You don't get respect just because you wear a badge. YOU EARN IT. Please don't get me wrong there are good police officers, but there are also bad ones and they need to be FIXED. Not desk duty where they get to sit on their asses in a nice warm room and still get paid. All the good officers out there stop keeping your mouth shut, speak up against your fellow officers. Dont take it as snitching. Take it as you are protecting your own. Those rotten apples have spoiled the bunch and you still want to keep them in the basket? What kind of logic is that?

    Sometimes I feel like I am living in a third wold country, corruption, police brutality, falsifying police reports. etc etc. Is this America or am I in some type of twisted nightmare. People come to this country to escape all of that, WHERE HAS THE AMERICAN DREAM GONE?

  • John

    I personally observed teenage Patersonians abuse Police Officers with their bikes by pretending to run into them. The officers did nothing. These teenage boys were intimidating the officers while doing wheeles going right upto officers during a BLM March. I felt sorry fornthe officers.

  • John

    There's more to the story here. This young punk who is no angle got what he should have. They don't respect the officers and now crying. Don't feel sorry for these troubled vicious teens.

  • John

    You know when society is a mess when you a Muslim group and BLM speaking up for them. These groups are racist bigots.

  • John

    Dont let he's age fool you.

  • MarquinhoGaucho

    If this was on Main Ave there has to be cameras somewhere right? Strange that the cops beat him and didnt and didnt charge him with anything .

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