MEDIA ADVISORY
CAIR-NJ: Victims of Paterson Police Brutality Incidents, Attorneys, Community Leaders to Speak at Virtual News Conference
(SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ, 2/16/2021) – Later today, the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) today will host a virtual news conference with Osamah Alsaidi, a Muslim Arab-American teen shown on surveillance video being beaten by two Paterson, N.J., police officers.
CAIR-NJ’s news conference will also include Stephanie Luzzi, the attorney representing another person who allegedly also faced abuse by one of the officers involved in the Alsaidi incident.
Video: CAIR-NJ Welcomes AG’s Probe of Officers Who Beat Muslim Teen
Video: 2 New Jersey officers accused of unprovoked assault on 19-year-old
https://abc7ny.com/paterson-police-cair-assault/10342093/
SEE: Rosdward Hernandez
https://www.cair.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/AssaultImage.png
The press conference will also have representatives from Islamic center of Passaic County, Black Lives Matter Paterson, and the Palestinian American Community Center.
WHEN: 1 PM ET
WHERE: Virtual
LINK: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86300948580
Webinar ID: 863 0094 8580
Passcode: RSVP to info@nj.cair.com for code
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/CAIRNewJersey
CONTACTS:
Selaedin Maksut, CAIR-NJ Executive Director, 908-668-5900, smaksut@cair.com
Diego F. Navas Esq., Civil Trial Attorney, dfn@navaslawfirm.com, 973-482-6200
Akram Alsaidi, Esq., Criminal Defence Attorney, alsaidi@aclaws.com, (917) 853-5073
Stephanie Luzzi Esq., sl@luzzilawfirm.com, 732-226-7116,
Zellie Thomas, BLM Paterson, Organizer, Zellie.imani@gmail.com
Haydar Sungar, ICPC (Islamic Center of Passaic County) President, 201-270-6874, president@icpc.org
Abire Sabbagh, PACC Community Engagement Coordinator, ASabbagh@paccusa.org
In a statement, CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut said:
“We call for the officers involved in Osamah Alsaidi’s case to be fired and prosecuted for aggravated assault and official misconduct for falsifying the report.”
“We are calling for a further investigation into Rosdward Hernandez’s case. Hernadez alleges he was also assaulted by the same officer as Alsaidi a little over two weeks before that incident.”
“Officers who behave in this way must not remain on duty. They must be stripped of their badge and charged for their crimes.”
Hernadez’s attorney, Stephanie Luzzi ESQ. alleges that Officer Patino initiated physical contact with Rosdward by shoving him, then escalated the verbal confrontation until he pushed Rosdward to the ground and repeatedly punched him in the face (which he admits to in the complaint).
The officer then allegedly fabricated charges of assaulting an officer to cover up for his actions.
The criminal case was remanded from Superior Court to Paterson Municipal, and we have a hearing on for February 18.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
END
CONTACT: CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut, 908-668-5900, smaksut@cair.com
