Officers probed in beach beating
A COP’S BEACH beatdown of a young New Jersey mother will be investigated by the county prosecutor’s office.
Emily Weinman, 20, was arrested Saturday on a beach in Wildwood by two cops in a violent encounter that was caught on video and went viral.
A woman’s cell phone camera captured one officer holding Weinman’s legs as she struggled in the sand while a second officer punched her in the head at least two times.
“The police incident involving Ms. Emily Weinman and the Wildwood police that took place on Saturday May 26 is currently under review by the Cape May County prosecutor’s office,” county Prosecutor Jeffrey Sutherland said in a statement.
Sutherland noted that the department’s internal affairs unit is already conducting an investigation, and noted that a police video of the incident will be issued to the public.
Wildwood Mayor Ernie Troiano said authorities have been cracking down on underage drinking. HE CAME IN dressed as a soldier, stripped to a G-string — but still respects the NYPD uniform.
A male performer who posed with four smiling female cops at a Washington Heights senior center on Mother’s Day says cops shouldn’t face discipline for the viral picture.
“They did absolutely nothing wrong,” Jude Menelas, whose stage name is Messiah, told the Daily News. “They acted completely professionally.”
Menelas was booked to perform at the ARC Senior Center in Washington Heights on May 13 by someone associated with the center.
“It was just a surprise for the elderly women who were there,” he said, chuckling. “When I came out, everyone there was shocked. They were like, what’s going on?”
The strapping fellow emerged dressed as a soldier, along with a second ripped male performer, dressed as a sailor, complete with cap. Both stripped down to G-strings to the approving glances of the crowd of older women dressed in their Sunday best.
After his performance, Menelas sat for photos with many of the older women.
“All the old ladies, they had fun,” he said.
And then he sat for the picture with the four smiling 33rd Precinct cops — one of whom seemed impressed with Menelas’, er, attributes.
An NYPD recruit took the picture, which went viral after someone posted it on the internet.
Menelas, whose Instagram account is “MessiahNYC,” says it was all in good fun.
To Menelas, the cops — including neighborhood coordination officers Amber Guzman and Nathalie Lebron — who were there as part of a program that builds ties with the community, didn’t appear to know he was going to perform.
“The female officers all sat at their table. I didn’t go to them,” he said. “They watched from afar. When it was done, they wanted to take a picture. That type of thing happens to me all the time.”
A law enforcement source said the cops knew in advance the performers would be there, but the department said the cops stated they did not know Menelas and his colleague would be there.
Menelas said the cops walked up and asked, “Can we get a quick photo?”
The photo itself took only a couple of minutes and there was no real conversation, he said.
“It was just smile, take the photo, that was it,” he said. “Within five minutes, I got dressed and left.”
Menelas estimated he was there for about 45 minutes in all, with most of it taking pictures.
“I took pictures with a whole bunch of grandmothers,” he said.
Menelas performs at bachelorette parties and private events around the city. He also works as a model.
It remained unclear if the four cops and the recruit will face any discipline. Police officials said Monday it will be handled within the command, possibly with just letters in their files.