NEW YORK (AP) - A firefighter who saw his ex-girlfriend in a
police officer's car beat the officer so badly he suffered a brain
hemorrhage, prosecutors said Thursday.
Sean Murray, a two-year veteran of Ladder Company 140 in Queens,
was charged with assault in the beating of Ahmad Kessba on
Wednesday night, when both were off duty, District Attorney Richard
Brown said.
Kessba, 24, was dropping off Murray's former girlfriend at her
Ridgewood home when the firefighter, who had been waiting outside,
approached him and ordered him out of his car, prosecutors said.
When Kessba identified himself as a police officer and reached
for his badge, Murray, 28, yanked him out of his car, threw him to
the ground and beat and kicked him repeatedly, they said.
The terrified ex-girlfriend locked the car doors and called 911.
Murray continued to choke Kessba and bang his head against the
pavement after the officer was knocked unconscious, prosecutors
said.
"The defendant's actions were unprovoked and resulted in
serious injuries to the police officer," Brown said.
Besides the brain hemorrhage, Kessba suffered other injuries to
his head and body.
Murray, who lives in Hicksville, N.Y., had not been arraigned as
of Thursday night. The district attorney's office didn't have
information about a lawyer for him, and the firefighters' union
didn't immediately return a telephone message seeking comment.
A fire department spokesman said he wasn't authorized to speak
about Murray's case.
Murray could face up to 25 years in prison if convicted.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
police officer's car beat the officer so badly he suffered a brain
hemorrhage, prosecutors said Thursday.
Sean Murray, a two-year veteran of Ladder Company 140 in Queens,
was charged with assault in the beating of Ahmad Kessba on
Wednesday night, when both were off duty, District Attorney Richard
Brown said.
Kessba, 24, was dropping off Murray's former girlfriend at her
Ridgewood home when the firefighter, who had been waiting outside,
approached him and ordered him out of his car, prosecutors said.
When Kessba identified himself as a police officer and reached
for his badge, Murray, 28, yanked him out of his car, threw him to
the ground and beat and kicked him repeatedly, they said.
The terrified ex-girlfriend locked the car doors and called 911.
Murray continued to choke Kessba and bang his head against the
pavement after the officer was knocked unconscious, prosecutors
said.
"The defendant's actions were unprovoked and resulted in
serious injuries to the police officer," Brown said.
Besides the brain hemorrhage, Kessba suffered other injuries to
his head and body.
Murray, who lives in Hicksville, N.Y., had not been arraigned as
of Thursday night. The district attorney's office didn't have
information about a lawyer for him, and the firefighters' union
didn't immediately return a telephone message seeking comment.
A fire department spokesman said he wasn't authorized to speak
about Murray's case.
Murray could face up to 25 years in prison if convicted.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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