The son of a frail, 84-year-old man — bloodied by cops after he jaywalked on the Upper West Side and didn’t understand police officers’ orders to stop — called the ordeal a nightmare outside a Manhattan courthouse Wednesday and urged the Manhattan district attorney to drop the charges still pending against his dad.
“This whole ordeal for our family has been a nightmare,” said accountant Wei Wong, whose father, Kang Wong, had a brief appearance in Manhattan Criminal Court, accompanied by at least 40 community supporters. “My father isn’t a criminal, he is the victim here.”
He added, “We are disappointed the charges were not dropped today and hope the DA will drop them soon.”
The elder Wong, who doesn’t speak English, allegedly crossed against the light at the intersection of Broadway and 96th Street on Jan. 19.
An officer ordered the octogenarian to halt and tried to write him a ticket when he began walking away.
The cop tried to pull Wong back and when he resisted, several officers descended on the frail man, leaving him bleeding with cuts on his face.
“This police officer acted excessively,” said Wong’s lawyer, Michael Bachner. “The officer body-slammed Mr. Wong into the sidewalk, causing injuries to his head.”
Wong didn’t understand what was happening, Bachner said.
He was treated at St. Luke’s Hospital before he was booked at the 24th Precinct station house for jaywalking, resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration and disorderly conduct.
The NYPD’s jaywalking crackdown came on the heels of a spate of pedestrian fatalities.
Wong appeared in court Wednesday but the District Attorney’s Office is still investigating and no action was taken.
The incident is under internal review, according to an NYPD spokesman.
“The police did not use a Cantonese interpreter to explain anything to him,” said Wong’s son. “He did not deserve to be injured. This was wrong.”
Wong plans to file a $5 million lawsuit against the city.