Officers Accused of Torturing Haitian Now Face Bias Claim
Two police officers accused of sexually brutalizing a Haitian immigrant with a wooden stick were hit with new charges Monday that the attack was motivated by bias.
Justin Volpe, 25, and Charles Schwarz, 31, pleaded not guilty to the previous charges along with a newly added one of aggravated harassment based on “race, color, religion or national origin.”
Volpe, Schwarz and two other officers charged with beating and tormenting Abner Louima are white; Louima is black.
Louima, 30, was allegedly attacked Aug. 9 in a station house bathroom after he was arrested outside a Brooklyn nightclub on a disorderly conduct charge. He said officers used a racial slur as they sodomized him with a wooden stick.
Volpe, Schwarz and Officers Thomas Bruder, 31, and Thomas Wiese, 33, are also accused of punching, kicking and beating Louima with a radio.
Louima is hospitalized with bowel injuries and is suing the city for $55 million. All four officers are charged with assault, criminal possession of a weapon and aggravated harassment. Volpe and Schwarz are also charged with aggravated sexual abuse and assault.
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