Teen convicted of dragging NYPD officer arrested in Brooklyn again

A teenager previously convicted of dragging an NYPD officer in Brooklyn has been arrested again after allegedly stealing a car and leading police on a chase.

Video Transcript

- But first in trouble with the law again. A teenager previously convicted of dragging an NYPD officer in Brooklyn has been arrested again after allegedly stealing a car and leading police on a chase. Good evening, everyone. I'm Sandra Bookman.

- And I'm Joe Torres. Police say 19-year-old Justin Morrell ran a red light and led police on a chase early this morning in East New York.

- And Morrell only had a little more than two weeks left on parole in connection with his 2016 conviction for dragging NYPD officer. That officer left with permanent brain damage. Eyewitness News reporter Lucy Yang joins us this evening from East New York Brooklyn with the story, Lucy.

LUCY YANG: Well Sandra and Joe, he had no comment as he was led out of the 75th precinct tonight. But Justin Morrell is only a teenager. And yet we're told he's been arrested a dozen times now.

This is 19-year-old Justin Morrell being led out of the 75th precinct Sunday night. This teenager is no stranger to the criminal justice system. In fact, critics argue he's been handed too much mercy from the courts.

The NYPD tweeted he went on a dangerous joyride around 1:30 Sunday morning. Authorities say he ran a red light in this stolen vehicle and tried to escape from officers before finally crashing into a row of parked cars on Van Sindermann and new lofts in East New York.

PAT LYNCH: I've been a police officer for 35 years. I've never been so angry in my entire life.

LUCY YANG: That was the police union a few years ago regarding another reckless driving incident involving Justin Morrell. In June of 2016 when Justin was only 15, he was driving a stolen vehicle when officer DeLoach Vevey desperately tried to stop him. The officer was dragged then thrown off the car. Vevey suffered permanent brain damage, no longer able to speak or even fully recognize his beautiful family.

The teenager dodged an attempted murder charge but was facing 10 years for assault. Instead, the judge noting his tender age gave Morrell only 1 and 1/4 to four years behind bars. He was weeks away from the end of his parole when he was arrested again on Sunday.

The police union issued this new statement, quote, "what will it take our broken justice system to keep him behind bars where he belongs? " The last time Morrell was in court, the judge gave him a second chance at life. But who will give officer Vevey a second chance at walking and talking and being a hero again?

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