One of the police officers charged with torturing a man by sodomizing him with a stick bragged about the attack, saying he had to “break a man” who took a swing at him, a newspaper reported Tuesday. Officer Justin Volpe also told fellow officers, “I had to bring a man down tonight,” The New York Post reported. Three other officers also have been charged in the case, and state and federal authorities joined the investigation. Abner Louima, a Haitian immigrant, remains hospitalized with a torn colon and other injuries, and plans to sue the city and police for $55 million. The Post said the conversation in which Volpe said he had to “break a man” occurred at the hospital where Louima was taken in critical condition. Volpe and Officer Charles Schwarz were arraigned Monday on state charges of assault and sexual abuse. Both pleaded innocent and were freed on $100,000 bail. Two more officers, Thomas Wiese and Thomas Bruder, were arrested Monday and charged with beating Louima before he arrived at the stationhouse.
