By Shayna Jacobs
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN SUPREME COURT — A rookie police officer caught on video shoving a Critical Mass biker to the ground while making his first arrest was simply acting on orders, his lawyer said.
Patrick Pogan was 11 days into his career on the street as a police officer when a flood of bike riders came through Times Square unexpectedly in July 2008, said Stuart London, Pogan's attorney, during opening statements Monday morning.
"He thought he was going to go to St. Patrick's Cathedral," London said. "He didn't know what Critical Mass was — he had no idea."
When Pogan spotted biker Christopher Long running a red light on Seventh Avenue, flailing his arms and shouting, he ordered him to stop but the order was ignored, London said.
So the newbie officer on foot, under instructions to arrest rowdy Critical Mass participants, used force, possibly too much, to stop the bike, London said.
Pogan was caught on video shoving Long to the sidewalk in front of a crowd of tourists and bystanders. The video was quickly posted on YouTube.
He faces felony charges for falsifying the arrest report and lying about the events, as well as assault and harassment.
Prosecutors said Pogan had several chances to recant his version of the incident but lied to his supervisors and the district attorney's office.
He signed off on a criminal complaint that was "crawling with [Pogan's] distorted version facts," Assistant District Attorney Ryan Conners said Monday morning.
"Not only did Patrick Pogan push Christopher Long [off his bike] that night, he pushed him directly into New York City's criminal justice system," Conners said.
The first witness Monday morning was a tourist whose vacation video is being used as evidence in the trial.