Rockville Centre officer accused of excessive force found not guilty

A Rockville Centre police officer was found not guilty Tuesday after being accused of using excessive force during a 2016 incident. 
Cellphone video of the incident shows the altercation with brothers Kevin Kavanagh, 27, and Brendan Kavanagh, 21, both of Rockville Centre, and Officer Anthony Federico.  
Federico had responded to a call about a late night fight involving the brothers with some other men outside several bars on South Park Avenue. 
Prosecutors claimed the officer was out of control that night and used excessive force when he hit Kevin Kavanagh in the head with his Taser.
Federico's attorney William Petrillo argued that Kavanagh was intoxicated and high on cocaine at the time. He says Federico was put into a headlock by one brother while the other reached towards his gun belt. Petrillo says Federico was the one who was attacked first by the brothers, and then by the district attorney's office.
"It's a sad state of affairs when police officers can't do their job or have to be afraid to do their job in fear that an overreaching prosecution is going to micromanage every little thing that's done," said Petrillo. 
Officer Federico had nothing to say after the verdict.