Man Says Police Beating Left Him in Intensive Care
St. Catharines Standard
Thursday, April 30, 2015 8:22:45 EDT PM
It started out as a normal Friday night. Nick Zaidenko was going to meet some friends and grab a drink downtown.
The evening ended with Zaidenko, 21, of St. Catharines, in intensive care after suffering what he says was a brutal beating at the hands of the police.
Zaidenko said an officer demanded to see his identification as he walked through Market Square. Zaidenko wanted to know why. Things spun out of control quickly.
Zaidenko was charged with assault, resisting arrest. His lawyer said the charges are groundless.
The province?s Special Investigations Unit has launched an investigation. The unit investigates incidents involving police when there has been death, serious injury or sexual assault.
?He?s a humble 21-year-old kid,? lawyer Mitchell Worsoff said. ?He has no record. I?ve been practicing law for 17 years, and you see this kind of thing sometimes when people are rough with the police.
?Someone is being investigated for some type of offence or they are being very defiant and actually assault the police.
?I understand the police have a job to do and have to maintain order, but there is no justification for putting someone in intensive care. If you have to restrain someone, it can be done without causing irreparable injury or serious bodily harm.?
Const. Phil Gavin said the NRP is not allowed to provide details because the matter is in the hands of the SIU.
Zaidenko said he was walking through Market Square at about at 1:30 a.m. March 7. He had two beers earlier and another at a bar off St. Paul St.
?I was walking towards Gord?s Place, minding my own business,? he said. ?A police car passed me and did a U-turn. I figured she was going to stop me. She said, ?I need to see your ID.?
?I said, ?Excuse me, but what for??
?She said she was investigating a crime. I told her that?s fine, but I don?t want to give you ID because I didn?t do anything wrong.
?Then she changed her story. She said I need to see your ID because I think you are intoxicated. She got mad because I wasn?t giving her my ID. I didn?t want to interact with her. I just wanted to be on my way.?
Worsoff said Zaidenko wasn?t impaired. Worsoff said medical documents show his client?s blood alcohol level was under 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.
?She got out of her car and said I was under arrest for not providing ID,? Zaidenko said. ?She grabbed me and tried to sweep me off my feet. I grabbed onto her to keep from falling. I did it out of instinct. I wasn?t in fighting mode. I was scared.
?When she saw I grabbed her, she said some codes and called for backup. They quickly came and the next couple of minutes, I just remember getting pounded in every direction possible.
?I remember swearing and being really upset when they put me in the car. I was still conscious at the time, but by the time I got to the station, I could feel my head pulsing. I knew I wasn?t right and I was hoping it would go away. I don?t remember much after that.?
Worsoff said Zaidenko is suffering memory loss, headaches and is having trouble with his speech.
Zaidenko made his first appearance in court to answer the charges April 24. He is due back in court May 13.
The charge against Zaidenko and his allegations have not been proved in court.
?I am waiting for video footage from police cameras downtown and cameras that are located near the marketplace,? Worsoff said. ?There are video cameras at the banks and restaurants in the area. I want that footage and the footage from the police station. I think it will be very telling. These are the kind of cases that need exposure. That?s how you affect change. People have to read about this.?