A day before a violent attack by a motorcycle gang that left a Manhattan family man battered, reputed “Biker Cop” Wojciech Braszczok sent disturbing text messages to a colleague foretelling the chaos that would soon unfold.
“Mayhem… going through red lights, tricks and s–t,” said an unidentified undercover detective, recalling the text he received on Sept. 28, 2013—one day before a group of bikers pulled Alexian Lien from his Range Rover in Washington Heights and beat him bloody as his wife and daughter watched on.
The texts, revealed during a pre-trial hearing Tuesday in Manhattan Supreme Court, were ruled admissible by Judge Maxwell Wiley, opening the door for those and other statements to be included in evidence when trial begins as soon as next week.
The colleague, who served as Braszczok’s “handler” while the biker cop was working undercover during Occupy Wall Street, said the troubled NYPD detective quickly reversed course after his boasts about the massive Sunday ride, which eventually drew hundreds of bikers from across the city.
“When he called me I said, ‘Why are you texting me this s–t?’ And he goes, ‘I’m only kidding, man.'”
After the exchange, the witness testified, Braszczok dodged questions during two casual meetings about seeing the attack on Lien, which happened after Lien struck a motorcyclist on the West Side Highway and drove off, claiming he was scared of motorcycle mob.
A group of riders chased Lien to an exit in Washington Heights and followed him until he was stopped. He was dragged out of his car and beaten as his wife and young daughter watched.
Braszczok claimed he was not present for the beating, but changed his story after viral video played on YouTube and in news reports gave up that he was there.
The cop is accused of breaking a window on Lien’s black Range Rover during the beating.
The colleague, from the NYPD’s Intelligence Division, had to report to his supervisor that Braszczok said he was present for the attack on Lien.
Prosecutors indicted 11 riders in connection to the incident. All but Braszczok and Robert Sims have pleaded guilty in exchange for lesser jail sentences.
The remaining two will stand trial on gang assault and assault charges as soon as next week, but Braszczok is opting for a bench trial so Justice Maxwell Wiley will determine his fate as a jury considers charges against Sims.
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