Published July 21. 2020 12:00AM
Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin in a release described his investigation into a recent incident during which an Allentown police officer was alleged to have kneeled upon the neck of a man during an arrest.
Martin describes the incident and investigation, citing numerous witnesses and several video sources at St. Luke’s Hospital Chew Street campus the evening of July 11.
Edward Borrero, Jr., 37, of Allentown, was allegedly walking near the hospital, screaming, stumbling into traffic and vomiting repeatedly. Two nearby officers attempted to assist him and were rebuffed. While attempting to cuff Borrero so that he could be brought inside for safe medical attention, he resisted, and one officer kneeled not on his neck, but his head, for approximately eight seconds, while Borrero spat at them.
Borrero was not arrested or detained, except in that he received a medical exam.
He later admitted he is a heroin addict and that he had used heroin and ingested powdered cocaine about two hours before the incident.
Martin determined there was no evidence to support filing charges against the officers, and Borrero himself is charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, public drunkenness and a and misdemeanor-grade disorderly conduct.