LI Man Who Lost Police Brutality Case Against Nassau Officer Arrested On Assault, Robbery Charges

GREAT NECK PLAZA, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A Long Island man who claimed he was the victim of police brutality has been arrested on charges of assault and robbery in connection with an attack in Great Neck Plaza, authorities said Tuesday.

Kyle Howell, 22, also faces charges of criminal possession of a weapon and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, police said.

The incident happened around 7:45 p.m. Monday.

Police said a 20-year-old man and a 19-year-old woman were sitting in a parked car on Pont Street when Howell approached, opened the door, put a knife to the man's throat and demanded money.

When the victim tried to push Howell away, police said he cut the man on both hands. The woman then handed over some cash and police said Howell cut both seats of the car before fleeing.

The man was treated for his injuries at the hospital. Police said Howell and the victim knew each other.

On Tuesday, police spotted Howell and two others in a car on Spinney Hill Drive in Manhasset.

The driver, 31-year-old Jamiel Hendricks, 26-year-old passenger Nancy Peterson and Howell were all in possession of Xanax, police said. Howell was also in possession of cocaine, police said.

Hendricks and Peterson are each being charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance.

All three suspects are set to be arraigned later Tuesday.

In December of last year, Howell lost a police brutality case against Nassau County Officer Vincent LoGiudice.

The officer was acquitted of all charges in connection with the beating of Howell during a traffic stop in 2014 that was captured on surveillance video.

A judge ruled that although Howell suffered serious injury when he was punched and kicked 19 times during the traffic stop, he still refused to show his hands and made a furtive movement toward the glove compartment to hide marijuana.

Howell was arrested on assault, resisting arrest and drug charges in that case after he allegedly refused to comply with instructions to provide identification. Those charges were later dropped.

LoGiudice would have faced up to seven years in prison if convicted of felony assault and one year in prison if convicted of misdemeanor assault.

Howell has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit.