Defendant: James Ready (DOB 06/25/92)

Jan. 28, 2020 -- Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. announced James Ready of Putnam Valley was arraigned following an indictment by a Westchester County Grand Jury for assaulting a defendant in his custody and other charges. At the time, Ready was a probationary officer with the Mount Vernon Police Department. He is no longer with the department.

The indictment was unsealed by Westchester County Court Judge Susan Cacace. Ready was arraigned on the following charges:

• Two counts of Assault in the Second Degree, a class D violent felony
• Two counts of Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree, a class E felony

Ready surrendered to the court this morning for arraignment. Bail was set at $25,000 cash/bond.

Background 
Prosecutors allege, on Nov. 23, 2019, probationary Mount Vernon Police Officer James Ready was in charge of a person who was in police custody and had been taken to Montefiore-Mount Vernon Hospital emergency room to seek medical attention. Around 1:30 a.m., Ready was attempting to return him to MVPD headquarters.

At the time, the man in custody was handcuffed and shackled at the ankles. Ready picked him up, flipped him over, and threw him to the floor head first, causing serious injury. The incident was captured on hospital surveillance video.

Ready is also charged with falsifying official records by recording a false narrative of the incident.

DA Scarpino said, “Today we unsealed an indictment against a police officer for an on-duty felony assault of a prisoner and for lying about the incident. Not only did James Ready seriously injure his victim, he breached the public trust. We will hold this defendant accountable as we would anyone else facing such serious criminal charges. These charges do not reflect on any other Mount Vernon Police Officers who continue to serve their community.”

Deputy District Attorney Timothy Ward, of the Superior Court Trial Division, and Assistant District Attorney, Jennifer Sculco, Acting Deputy Chief of the Investigations Division Public Integrity Bureau, are prosecuting the case.

 In compliance with the Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 3.6, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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