Indictment: NJ cop beat hospital patient, recorded 2nd attack

PATERSON, N.J. (AP) -- A New Jersey police officer has been indicted for his alleged role in the assault of a hospital patient and recording another assault of the same patient on his cellphone.

Paterson Officer Roger Then is charged with conspiring to violate the patient's civil rights, concealing the violation and filing a false police report in the five-count indictment handed up Friday by a federal grand jury.

The 29-year-old Paterson resident pleaded not guilty to the allegations following his arrest in May.

Federal prosecutors say Then and fellow Paterson officer Ruben McAusland were involved in the separate assaults on March 5. Authorities say the victim had multiple facial injuries, including an eye injury that required surgery.

McAusland has since pleaded guilty to depriving the patient of his civil rights and an unrelated drug charge. He's due to be sentenced Oct. 9.