Grand Jury Votes Not To Indict 2 Buffalo Officers Who Pushed 75-Year-Old Protestor To Ground
A New York grand jury has voted not to indict two Buffalo police officers charged with pushing a 75-year-old protestor to the ground back in June during a Black Lives Matter demonstration. Now, all charges have been dropped.
Aaron Torgalski and Robert McCabe both faced a felony second-degree assault charge after shoving an elderly Martin Gugino to the hard, concrete ground, leaving him with a fractured skull and unable to walk at the time.
RELATED: 2 Buffalo Police Officers Suspended After Violently Shoving 75-Year-Old Protestor To Ground
After the June 4 incident, both officers were suspended from the force and remained suspended until an internal affairs investigation concluded. When brought up on their charges, both plead not guilty to all. Despite Erie County District Attorney John Flynn arguing there was probable cause to charge the officers with the felony assault (instead of a misdemeanor), a grand jury voted against indicting them, dropping their charges altogether.
Now, the Buffalo Police Benevolent Association, a union representing officers, have released a statement, claiming they are “extremely pleased” with the grand jury’s decision, adding that the officers were simply following superiors’ orders to clear a public space amid the protests.
RELATED: 75-Year-Old Buffalo Protester Shoved By Police Has Fractured Skull & Can’t Walk