Friday, January 29, 2010

Anthony Daly's Leg Severely Broken During Arrest

A Boston tourist says in an exclusive NY1 report that he is scarred for life after a New York City police officer allegedly brutalized him during an arrest last month. NY1's Jeanine Ramirez filed the following report.

When Anthony Daly of Boston visited the city last month, he walked around normally. But his leg was broken in three places on December 27, the night he was taken into police custody at a Midtown hotel, and now doctors now say Daly may never walk the same way again.

A security video from the Hotel Chandler shows one of the arresting officers kick Daly twice in the back of the leg while he was handcuffed, which sending him screaming to the hallway floor.

"Scared [expletive deleted]. Thought I was going to die," said Daly. "He broke my ankle first. And I said, 'If my ankle broke,' and he said, 'I'm not finished.' And he put his foot again and he broke the back of my leg."

In the video, Daly appears to be walking fine between two officers as they remove him from the hotel room until he gets kicked and kicked again. He never gets back up until emergency medical technicians arrive and lift him onto a stretcher, and put a splint on his leg, for a trip to St. Vincent's Hospital.

Daly underwent surgery and X-rays show doctors put in a titanium rod and screws.

"When I was in the room, the cop who broke my leg in the hotel was there with me all the time," said Daly.

Daly was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and harassment. Police told NY1 the arresting officer, Joseph Bonner, was just trying to sweep Daly's feet out from underneath him and that Daly might have already broken his leg trying to keep officers out of the hotel room.

Daly's troubles started at the bar of the Hotel Chandler on the night of December 27. Police say Daly was drunk and abusive and assaulted the bartender, the doorman and two patrons.

Daly admitted he was drinking and getting rowdy, and exchanged some words with Englishmen who were singing English football songs.

"I put my hands on their backs and just said, 'Sing it up boys, sing it up. That's all that's left of your little empire, soccer,'" said Daly.

He said he then went upstairs to join his wife Ellen in their room but soon police come banging.

"I said if you haven't got a [expletive deleted] reason to arrest me, why don't you get the [expletive deleted] out of here because I want to go to bed. He said, 'I'll think of a reason,'" said Daly. "And with that, Ellen got out of the bed and I put my hand up to stop him and say, 'Stay where you are.' And he just pushed the door and pushed me on top of Ellen."

Bonner's incident report says he witnessed domestic violence in the hotel room, a claim Daly's wife Ellen denies.

"He said at that point, 'That's it, he just shoved you. You're under arrest for domestic violence.' And I said, 'What are you talking about? He didn't shove me," said Ellen Daly.

The Dalys say they want the charges dropped and have filed a complaint of excessive force with the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board.

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