Now, Kyle Howell, a 20-year-old drug suspect facing multiple charges, is filing a lawsuit against the officers.
The Westbury man says he has been repeatedly pulled over by cops, these two in particular.
The videotaped incident took place on April 25, when the officers pulled him over for having a cracked windshield. A nearby surveillance camera was rolling as the officers began to punch and knee him.
They say he had a bag of what looked like cocaine residue in it and a bag of marijuana he allegedly tried to eat when he was pulled over.
But Howell denies those claims, and at a news conference with his parents and attorneys Tuesday, he described the only motion he made in the car, which he said involved nothing illegal.
"My paycheck started to fly out the door," he said. "I went to go reach for it, and the next thing you know, I got a knee to the face. Then the next thing I remember, I was in the hospital ...You can see the damage that happened."
Howell woke up from the beating with a broken nose, nerve damage and the eye problem, and charged with assaulting the officers. His eyes still appear bloody and he said he will need surgery to fix them.
"There was no mercy shown as they broke the bones in his face," Howell's mother said. "We live of fear of those who are sworn to protect him."
The family alleges racial profiling, but the officers allege that Howell attacked them. He is charged with assault and evidence tampering, and he faces misdemeanor drug possession charges.
Howell, in turn, has filed a notice of claim against Nassau County.
