Newark Police Officer Cleared of Assault Charge

A judge acquitted a Newark police officer who had been charged with assaulting a 15-year-old boy nearly four years ago, NJ.com reported.

During the March 24, 2010 incident, which was captured on surveillance tape, Angel Pared, who was working as a plainclothes detective, got into a scuffle with Travis Rattray after Pared said he thought Rattray reached for a gun. Rattray was unarmed.

Pared faced charges of simple assault and tampering with evidence after he claimed on a police report Rattray tried to hit him first, an account inconsistent with the video. Pared later claimed he made a mistake on the report.

A jury had already acquitted Pared of aggravated assault last year, but could not come to a decision on the lesser charges Pared also faced. Prosecutors decided to re-try Pared on those lesser charges.