2nd suspect in beating of off-duty NYPD officer in Bronx arraigned on attempted murder charge
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Taveon Hargrove, the second suspect in the beating of an off-duty NYPD police officer during a robbery, returned to the Bronx for an arraignment on Wednesday.
The 23-year-old is charged with attempted murder, attempted robbery, aggravated assault on a police officer and criminal possession of a weapon.
The two suspects are accused of pummeling the officer in an assault and robbery were indicted by a grand jury in May.
The other suspect, Wayne Lucas, 23, was extradited from Virginia June 5 and arraigned on the indictment.
He pleaded not guilty inside a courtroom packed with police officers.
Lucas and Hargrove were indicted for allegedly brutally beating an off-duty NYPD officer in the Bronx last month.
The attack was captured on surveillance video and prosecutors say it continued even after the two suspects realized their victim was a member of the NYPD.
Prosecutors say the suspects stole officer's wallet, phone and loaded service weapon. The 27-year-old victim was stomped in the head during the assault.
Officer Chowdhury Nafees was released from the hospital last month, but still faces a long road to recovery.
Both suspects were caught in Virginia. Lucas was wearing a wig as a disguise as he left a house in Richmond in an unsuccessful attempt to conceal his identity.
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