Charges eased for man roughed up by Peekskill PD during arrest; civil action against police dept forthcoming
Four charges against Damar Fields, 42 of Peekskill, stemming from a Dec. 3 incident at Riverfront Green Park, are either being reduced or dismissed.
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Charges against a homeless, mentally impaired Peekskill man who police roughed up during an arrest are being resolved, prompting his attorneys to turn their attention to the officers.
Four charges against Damar Fields, 42, of Peekskill, stemming from a Dec. 3 incident at Riverfront Green Park, are either being reduced or dismissed.
Officials say Fields was at the gazebo, acting erratically with his pants down, when Peekskill Officer Daniel Regg responded.
Regg tased, punched and kicked Fields repeatedly as he tried to cuff Fields. Other officers arrived, told Regg to "tap out," completed the arrest and settled the scene.
Fields' defense team, prosecutors and the Peekskill City Court judge agreed on Thursday to reduce Fields' public lewdness charge to a lesser violation of exposure of a person for which Fields will pay a fine.
"Here was Mr. Fields taking responsibility for his behavior," one of his attorneys, Michael Sussman, said after the conference.
Next month, they plan to seek dismissal of the other three charges: resisting arrest, obstruction of governmental administration and a low-level drug offense.
Fields' attorneys are now focusing on holding Regg and other officers accountable.
"Had they beaten a dog like that, they would have been arrested," said Darrell Davis, Fields' advocate and friend.
Regg and another officer, Angelo Cintron, were suspended without pay in late February after an internal review and are facing termination from the Peekskill Police Department.
Police Chief Adam Renwick said Regg is facing disciplinary charges for failure to de-escalate and failure to follow the department's policies on how to deal with an emotionally disturbed person.
"It has to be dealt with," Sussman said, adding that he and Fields will be taking civil action against the city and multiple Peekskill officers.
Sussman wants justice for Fields and changes at the police department.
"This case is a primary example in my mind of attitudes, inhumanity, brutality, and acting out behavior, which police agencies have to curb," Sussman said.
Fields' attorneys plan to motion for dismissal of the other three charges at Fields' next conference on May 7 at Peekskill City Court on the grounds that the Westchester County District Attorney's office failed to prosecute Fields in a timely manner.
News 12 has reached out to Regg's attorney and the Peekskill police union for comment. Neither had responded by late Thursday afternoon.
The union, the Peekskill Police Benevolent Association, has previously said through its attorney that Regg handled the situation well and Regg has the union's "unequivocal support."
