Christian Zapata, a former New York City police officer, was convicted of attempted assault for a series of punches thrown at Jerome Collins during a response to a 911 call concerning Collins' autistic son. Despite the conviction, Zapata received a sentence of time served, having already resigned from the police force. The prosecution's decision to acquit him of a more severe assault charge was partly due to the absence of the victim's testimony and lack of medical evidence. Judge Curtis Farber described the incident as a "single, abhorrent act," while acknowledging Zapata's prior unblemished service record.
Justice Curtis Farber noted that the incident involving former officer Christian Zapata was a "single, abhorrent act," emphasizing the seriousness of the assault despite Zapata's generally unblemished record.
Christian Zapata resigned from the NYPD on January 3, 2023, after being involved in a troubling incident where he assaulted a man during a response to a 911 call.
The decision not to prosecute Zapata for more severe charges was bolstered by the absence of the victim in court and a lack of visible injuries, complicating the prosecution's case.
The confrontation stemmed from a request by Jerome Collins for police to wear masks in the context of an escalating situation involving his girlfriend's distraught son who has autism.
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