Roger Goodell's Bodyguard Accused of Assaulting Newspaper Photographer

The Gothamist has a story that pits a New York Daily News photographer on one side, and Roger Goodell’s bodyguard and head of security, along with the NYPD, on the other.

According to freelance photographer JB Nicholas, working for the NY Daily News, he was attacked by Thomas Crowe, the head of NFL security for the NFL offices building in New York and Goodell’s personal bodyguard. The alleged attack came on September 17th, after a series of incidents where Nicholas was following the SUV in which Crowe was traveling by bicycle. Nicholas claims that the SUV pinned him against a double parked car, and then later cut the wheels to the left and knocked him off his bicycle.

After the second confrontation, Crowe allegedly got out of the vehicle and began choking him with a forearm to the neck, while Nicholas sat in a flower bed near Park and East 93rd. A witness, Joshua Holland, was walking his dog, and described what he witnessed that day:

"“The driver pulled the photographer off his bike, wrestled him to the ground in the median, and punched him in the face once. Then he was on top of him holding him down with an arm bar, a forearm jammed into his neck,” Holland says. “He was freaking out and shouting ‘I’m a cop! I’m a cop!’ I was like, does this guy have a gun? I was a little worried about that.”"

However, New York City police arrived and charged Nicholas, the photographer, with second degree assault, as well as third degree assault and criminal mischief. Nicholas was charged with allegedly punching the SUV driver, throwing his bike at the driver, and keying the SUV.

Nicholas had been previously convicted of a manslaughter charge in 1990, for which he served time. The DA used that as a reason to ask for $20,000 bail from the judge, which was denied. Nicholas is now being represented by an attorney retained by the New York Daily News.

As reported by the Gothamist, a “Thomas Crowe” is listed as a retired detective with the NYPD. According to Nicholas, when the police arrived, they greeted Crowe with a handshake. Witness Holland said that he told the police that Crowe was the aggressor once he got out of the car. The next hearing date is December 1st.

[photo of scene from JB Nicholas]