NYPD cop beaten so severely by marijuana-carrying suspect, she might not be able to return to job By Rocco Parascandola / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Published: Wednesday, January 9, 2013, 9:50 PM Updated: Thursday, January 10, 2013, 2:30 AM A pot-smoking suspect beat and choked a petite Manhattan cop so brutally she may never be able to return to work, police sources told the Daily News. Officer Renee-Maria Sampson and her partner Temeisha Hoyte, both four-year NYPD vets, were patrolling a building in the Lillian Wald Houses on the lower East Side on Nov. 23 when they spotted Pedro Urena holding a lit joint, authorities said. The cops called for backup, but before other officers arrived, Urena attacked, punching them both and slamming them against a wall, according to a complaint. Next, he grabbed each cop by the neck and tried to choke the life out of them, according to police and a criminal complaint. “At one point, Urena takes them and hits their heads together,†added one source. “Then he tried to drag both cops into his apartment.†Backup officers arrived just in time, and Urena was arrested. But Sampson had an asthma attack, fell to the ground and slammed her head, police said. She temporarily lost consciousness and had at least two seizures. Sampson said she didn't want to use her gun for fear she would shoot her partner because of the proximity, a source said. The 29-year-old officer has yet to return to work. At 5-feet-2 and 105 pounds, she was overpowered by Urena, who is 5-feet-11 and 180 pounds, the source said. The NYPD is considering a change in how officers are trained to deal with combative suspects, another source said. That source noted that “maybe the cops could have stayed back and waited for backup.†Urena was charged with assault, strangulation, resisting arrest and marijuana possession. He's being held on $25,000 bail. His lawyer, Rick Pasacreta, said the complaint overstates the injuries. “He denies all the allegations,†Pasacreta said. Neither Hoyte, who sprained her arm and is on limited duty, nor Sampson could be reached for comment. Read more: NYPD cop beaten so severely by marijuana-carrying suspect, she might not be able to return to job - NY Daily News
I feel bad for this cop, but cops should be leaving people alone for smoking weed. This falls on the NYPD higher-ups, they train their cops to go after non-Caucasian pot smokers like a hungry wolf hunts for food. If they public had any sense they would be questioning NYPD policy today. Also, why the hell are they sending a 105 pound cop to patrol the projects? Smh @ at the NYPD.
I cant say I feel sorry for them at all. Shouldnt be messing with potheads in the first place, They could have just done the right thing and ignored it and left. Not condoning this mans actions as beating up two women, police or not, is inexcusable, but if you go looking for trouble and harrassing people for no reason then you get whats coming to you.
...Da fuuuuck? This guy had a lot more problems than just smokin' the ganja, and was bound to end up in a position like this sometime if he was this fucked up. Sucks though, just going to reinforce the views of those with negative impressions of MJ... two steps forward, one step back. Still, very sad that two trained police officers with weapons were overpowered by one crazy motherfucker and his bare hands. :/ Makes ya wonder about the NYPD's competence... as if we didn't already. Sending in two tiny women to patrol such a dangerous area alone is stupid as fuck, and letting someone with severe asthma be an officer even more ridiculous. Seems to me if weed were legal this specific incident wouldn't have happened, but that doesn't mean this guy wouldn't have went on to fuck up other people's lives because it's pretty obvious after reading that he's a little psychopathic.
Exactly. What the hell is so wrong about smoking a joint and hanging out on your stoop or going back inside? From the article is doesn't appear that the suspect was doing anything else illegal, or causing harm to anyone. NYPD policy produces multiple victims; the smokers themselves (the vast majority whom are minorities) and the cop in this situation who got injured trying to stop a "crime" that wasn't harming anyone in the first place.
How can people say those women deserved that? They where doing their jobs. Even if u dont agree with that, I cant see why u would wish harm on them for doing their duty. They definitely didnt deserve that.
I don't think anyone here said she deserved it. What I'm saying is she's just another victim of the drug war, and stupid antiquated NYPD policy.
Someone with seizures shouldn't be allowed to be a LEO. Me thinks the ladies shoulda been chaperoned by some men, no offense meant but they arent psychically able to perform their duties. Did anyone else get the chuckles when you read that he slammed their heads together like a scene in a bad movie? I know lets go after the guy smokin a J. As they walk past a guy sellin crack on the streets...pssssh
Becasuse if they say he was only holding a marijuana joint it wouldn't sound like he was carrying a significant amount
The 29-year-old officer has yet to return to work. At 5-feet-2 and 105 pounds Stopped feeling any sympathy right there. This is why the qualifications to be a cop need to be the same across the board for men and women. I have no doubt she wouldnt have passed the test if this was the case. If your a borderline midget that even a malnourished holocaust survivor could throw 10 feet you should not become a fuckin cop. Pretty sickening how the identity they give this guy is "MARIJUANA CARRIER" as if that describes him as a person. Could have said "race and age" attacks cop. Not "PERSON HOLDING MARIJUANA BLUDGEONS POLICE OFFICER WHILE HOLDING MARIJUANA! DID WE MENTION HE WAS HOLDING MARIJUANA"
Way to completely miss the point kid. The fact that the qualifications to be a cop is lowered for women is the reason things like this happen. Make the physical test the same for men and women and you will weed out cops like this that will end up getting pummeled by an average sized person.