NYPD lieutenant criticizes judge after protester receives community service for injuring him during Black Lives Matter protest.
The final protester charged in connection with the 2020 Black Lives Matter demonstrations in New York City was recently sentenced to 50 hours of community service. The sentencing of Shaborn Banks, 31, took place in Manhattan Supreme Court and follows his November conviction for third-degree assault, a misdemeanor, resulting from a violent altercation that led to severe injuries sustained by NYPD Lieutenant Richard Mack.
Judge April Newbauer presided over the case and found Banks guilty of the misdemeanor offense related to the incident that occurred during a protest on the Brooklyn Bridge on July 15, 2020. Despite the conviction, Banks was acquitted of first-degree assault and several other felony charges that alleged his direct responsibility for Lieutenant Mack’s injuries, which included a broken orbital bone. The injuries ultimately forced Mack, a 26-year veteran of the NYPD, into early retirement.
The confrontation on the Brooklyn Bridge occurred amid nationwide calls for racial justice following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, which ignited extensive protests across America. Banks was among several demonstrators who clashed with officers from the NYPD’s Strategic Response Group. Another protester, Quran Campbell, previously pleaded guilty to assaulting an officer and received a two-year prison sentence.
Following the sentencing, Lieutenant Mack publicly expressed frustration with the judicial outcome, criticizing the judge for what he perceived as a biased perspective. He expressed dissatisfaction with the characterization of the attack on him as a misdemeanor, asserting that the injuries he sustained warranted a more serious charge.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s office, led by Alvin Bragg, sought a sentence of 364 days, emphasizing that despite Banks’s acquittal of more serious offenses, his actions contributed to the chaotic situation that resulted in Lieutenant Mack’s injuries. Assistant District Attorney Austin Minogue noted that the incident not only affected Mack’s career but also diminished the NYPD’s capability by removing a seasoned officer from its ranks.
In contrast, Banks’s defense team argued for leniency, maintaining that he had only retaliated after being struck first by Lieutenant Mack. They contended that video evidence clearly indicated that Campbell was truly responsible for inflicting the injuries on Mack.
In the aftermath of the ruling, Banks indicated relief at the conclusion of the legal proceedings, expressing a sentiment of having been wrongfully accused. His attorney, Ron Kuby, emphasized the disproportionate nature of the charges against Banks and the ultimate resolution of the case, suggesting that the judge’s decision reaffirmed their stance regarding the prosecution’s overreach. This resolution follows a protracted legal battle that has remained in the public eye since the events of 2020.
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