Sentencing for assault on Baldwin cop adjourned

Posted

The sentencing of a teenager who dragged a New York City police officer from North Baldwin for several blocks, rendering him dependent on 24-hour care, has been adjourned to Jan. 23, a spokeswoman for Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said. Justin Murrell’s sentencing on first-degree assault charges, for which he was convicted last month, was set for Jan. 7. The spokeswoman could not say why the sentencing was adjourned.

NYPD Det. Dalsh Veve, of North Baldwin, attempted to speak with Murrell as the then-16-year-old sat in the driver’s seat of a stolen vehicle, according to Gonzalez. Murrell drove off but Veve hung onto the car for several blocks, and suffered severe brain trauma as he was thrown off the vehicle.

Veve, who received applause form fellow cops when he was discharged from a New Jersey rehab center in May, now requires 24-hour care. Murrell last month was acquitted of attempted murder charges but convicted of first-degree assault on Veve.

Patrick Lynch, president of the New York City Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, criticized the jury for not convicting Murrell of attempted murder and urged the judge to sentence the teen to the maximum 10-year sentence for the assault.

“This punk knew he had a police officer hanging off the side of the stolen car that he was driving and he intentionally drove wildly in an attempt to kill the officer,” Lynch said. “This jury fell for this baby-faced punk and now it is imperative that judge give him the maximum sentence for the conviction on the assault of a police officer charge.”