NYPD officer pleads not guilty in caught-on-camera head stomp

BROOKLYN (WABC) -- An NYPD officer caught on camera stomping on the head on a subdued suspect pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a three-count indictment.

Officer Joel Edouard, 37, is charged with third-degree assault, third-degree attempted assault and official misconduct.

The charges stem from a police encounter in July 2014 in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, in which it appeared that Edouard kicked 32-year-old Jahmiel Cuffee while he was already in police custody.

Attorney Stephen Worth denied the allegations, insisting that the video does not show the entire incident and that his client had been acting within the scope of his duties.

The officer was released without posting bail and is due back in court on March 24.

"Police officers put their lives on the line every day to keep us all safe, however, this defendant allegedly stomped on the head of a suspect as he lay on the ground," Brooklyn DA Ken Thompson said. "While a serious matter, this indictment should not reflect on the great work being done throughout the city by the vast majority of police officers who perform their duties honorably."

If convicted, Edouard faces up to one year in jail.