Law enforcement arrested Roger Then, a police officer in Paterson, N.J., May 30 for allegedly assaulting a patient at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Paterson earlier this year, according to the Department of Justice.
According to the criminal complaint, Mr. Then and another police officer responded to an emergency call from a man who tried to commit suicide at his New Jersey home March 5. The officers then went to St. Joseph's Medical Center where the man was taken for treatment.
Federal prosecutors said hospital surveillance footage shows the patient, while in a wheelchair, throw an object down the hall. The two officers then physically assaulted the man, according to the complaint.
Prosecutors said the police officer with Mr. Then pushed the patient's wheelchair and punched him in the face. As the man fell, Mr. Then allegedly grabbed him by the back of the neck and pushed him to the ground.
A second video, which was allegedly taken by Mr. Then using his cellphone, shows the other police officer put on a pair of hospital gloves and strike the patient twice across the face while lying on his back in a hospital bed. This assault allegedly occurred after the patient verbally insulted the police officer.
As a result of the assaults, the patient suffered several injuries to his face, including an eye injury that required surgery, according to the DOJ.
Mr. Then is charged with conspiring to violate an individual's civil rights, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. He is also charged with misprision of felony for concealing the civil rights violation, which has a maximum penalty of three years in prison.
The criminal complaint did not mention charges against the other officer allegedly involved in the assaults, but stated he had not been on active duty since April, according to The New York Times.
More articles on legal and regulatory issues:
Nurse awarded $28M in retaliation suit against Brigham and Women's Hospital
Former Anthem fraud investigator charged in $20M billing scheme
Nurse accused of stealing more than $550k from New York hospital