NYPD officer convicted of using chokehold banned after death of George Floyd
NEW YORK (AP) — A New York City police officer who was the first prosecuted under a local law banning chokeholds and some other methods of restraint was convicted Thursday. Omar Habib was convicted of the misdemeanor established in the law that was passed after George Floyd ‘s killing, along with felony strangulation and misdemeanor assault, and is facing up to seven years in…
A New York City police officer, Omar Habib, was convicted on Thursday for using a banned chokehold and other restraint methods, following the death of George Floyd. Habib was found guilty of a misdemeanor, felony strangulation, and misdemeanor assault, and could face up to seven years in prison. He has also been dismissed from the NYPD and was held without bail by Bronx Criminal Supreme Court Judge Cynthia Isales.
According to the New York Daily News, Habib responded to a 911 call at a Bronx catering hall in 2023 where a drunk and disorderly man was resisting arrest. The district attorney claimed that Habib placed the man in a chokehold that hindered his breathing and circulation, causing him to lose consciousness. Habib's lawyer argued that other factors such as the man's drinking without eating could have caused his unconsciousness.
The verdict comes as a result of a 2020 city law, enacted in response to Floyd's death, that prohibits police officers from using chokeholds or applying pressure to someone's torso during an arrest. The police union president stated that the verdict highlights the "grim reality" that police officers face constant risk of criminal prosecution and challenges in receiving fair trials, due to pervasive anti-police sentiment.
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