District Attorney Eric Gonzalez charged 15-year-old Justin Murrell last week with attempted murder and assault for allegedly dragging police officer Dalsh Veve — who remains in critical condition — with a stolen car on June 3.
Six officers from the 67th precinct, including Veve, responded to 911 calls that shots had been fired at a party near Tilden Avenue and E. 53rd Street a little before midnight, officials said. After Veve and his colleagues determined the supposed shots were just fireworks, he went across the street and spoke to several people in a car that was blocking a fire hydrant.
The 15-year-old Brownsville resident — who is reportedly in a gang and has a slew of former arrests, according to the New York Post — allegedly then hit the gas and dragged Veve with the car for two-and-a-half blocks until the officer fell off and his colleagues transported him to the hospital, police said.
Veve was able to fire off two shots while he was getting dragged along, allegedly hitting Murrell, who later walked into a nearby hospital with a gunshot wound, police said. Murrell allegedly crashed the stolen car near E. 53rd Street between Snyder and Church avenues, officials said.
But Murrell’s attorney says he never intended to hurt Veve — a nine-year police veteran who is married with a 2-year-old daughter — and suspects it will be challenging for the District Attorney’s office to prove attempted murder.
“That’s significant in this case because here the grand jury and the people of the state of New York are charging Justin with intentionally hurting the cop like that was his goal,” said Frederic Pratt from Legal Aid. “I don’t believe the evidence can sustain either of those charges.”
Murrell is next due in Kings County Supreme Court on August 22.
