The restrained suspect seen being punched in the face by a Dover police officer in a viral video that touched off public protests was sentenced Friday to a term of probation for offenses committed prior to his May 19 arrest.
Cyprian Luke, 19, formerly of Morristown and now living in Irvington, was sentenced to two years of probation by Judge Stephen Taylor in Morristown Superior Court for one count of fourth-degree contempt, one count of disorderly persons simple assault and one count of disorderly persons criminal mischief.
Taylor also ordered Luke to complete an Abuse Ceases Today program and to continue attending counseling services through the Caring Partners of Morris and Sussex, according to Morris County Prosecutor's Office spokesperson Paul Merkler.
A warrant for his arrest on those charges, which date back to February, was the basis cited by Dover police for confronting Luke near a Dover convenience store on the evening of May 19.
A video of his arrest, taken by Luke's friend, Marcus Robinson, showed one Dover officer repeatedly punching Luke in the face, yelling at him to put his hands behind his back and turn over on his stomach.
Luke, in the video, appeared to be prevented from turning by at least two other officers restraining him to the ground, and appeared to be trying to cover his face with his hands in defense of the punches.
During a news conference the day after the arrest, as the video spread outrage on social media, Mayor James Dodd announced that three officers involved in the incident — including a sergeant — were placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation by the New Jersey Attorney General's Office of Public Integrity and Accountability.
On Friday, Luke was sentenced for charges that followed a domestic-violence investigation that began in February and continued through May.
Luke admitted to engaging in a physical altercation with his then-girlfriend and mother of his child, damaging her motor vehicle, violating a pretrial release order to have no contact with her while his charges were pending.
When police confronted him in Dover to apprehend him on the charges, he provided a false name to police before the altercation began, police alleged.
Robinson did not post images of the initial police contact with Luke, starting his video with Luke already in custody.
When Robinson exited the nearby convenience store, he said: "First thing I see is they sprayed him with Mace. They were all over him. He couldn't move his arms, but then they were saying 'stop resisting' at the same time. And then they started punching him. I thought bro was going to die."
Robinson also was charged with resisting arrest in relation to the Dover incident.
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Staff Writer William Westhoven: 973-917-9242; wwesthoven@dailyrecord.com.
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