Suspect accused in attack on off-duty NYPD officer in the Bronx pleads not guilty
Suspect accused in brutal attack on off-duty NYPD officer in the Bronx pleads not guilty
Suspect accused in brutal attack on off-duty NYPD officer in the Bronx pleads not guilty
One of the suspects charged in last month's brutal attack of an off-duty NYPD officer appeared at Bronx Criminal Court on Thursday.
Wayne Lucas, 23, was the second person taken into custody, after being tracked down in Virginia. Investigators say he and an accomplice fled after the assault, and Lucas was wearing a wig in an attempt to disguise himself when he was taken into custody.
He appeared before a judge and pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including attempted murder of a police officer in a violent attack that left a rookie officer with life-altering injuries.
Lucas was walked into court past dozens of officers and was later remanded without bail. If convicted of attempted murder, he will face 25 years to life behind bars.
His next court date is set for Sept. 12.
Here's what allegedly happened to the off-duty officer
Surveillance video from around 4 a.m. on May 24 shows two men approaching 27-year-old Chowdhury Nafees as he walked home from work -- still in uniform -- near St. Peter's Avenue in Parkchester.
Prosecutors say the suspects punched Nafees, held a knife to his throat, stole his gun, wallet, and phone, and stomped his head into the ground so forcefully that a boot print was left on the officer's face for a week. As a result, his vision is still blurry, they added.
Nafees was released from Jacobi Hospital last week after undergoing multiple surgeries.
"This attack was egregious and brutal"
Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark and the Police Benevolent Association had much to say on Thursday.
"This attack was egregious and brutal," Clark said. "Upon learning he was an officer, they took this as an invitation to turn up the violence, pushing him to the ground and stomping him on his head."
"We're going to be here at every court appearance to make sure that this individual stays behind bars for a long, long time," PBA President Patrick Hendry said.
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