A gay fashion student who was brutally beaten by members of an ultra-orthodox Jewish neighborhood watch group relived the attack in court Wednesday, telling a judge in stomach churning detail how one of his attackers pushed their thumb into his eye.
Taj Patterson recalled a terrifying chase down a Williamsburg street by a swelling crowd of men “with side-curls and yarmulkes” who eventually pinned his outstretched arms up against a gate.
“They caught up to me, and pinned me up against a gate,” he said. “I was yelling for them to stop, asking why they were doing this.”
Patterson frequently referred to a “middle man” and “his two flunkies,” as those responsible for most of the beating.
But he was unable to pick Herskovic out in court as the ringleader.
On cross examination, defense attorney Israel Fried asked the victim if “the middle man” was definitely Herskovic.
“I’m not sure,” Patterson admitted.
During the attack, he said he broke free with one arm and tried to swing at the men.
It was then that “the ringleader shoved” his thumb in Patterson’s eye, he testified Wednesday during the non-jury trial of Mayer Herskovic.
It was this same man who kicked him in the face, and said “stay down you f—ing f—ot” as other men stood on his legs — and who took off his sneaker and threw it on the roof, Patterson told Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun.
“They were coming for me,” Patterson said. “And then there were so many of them, I stopped running, and I gave up.
“Once the thumb was in my eye, I started screaming, and they just kept punching me. I was tripped, they were kicking me, then dragging me on my knees.
“I was kicked in the face, and there was a flash of light. The next thing I recall is waking up in the hospital.”
Forensics have placed Herskovic’s DNA on Patterson’s Air Jordan sneaker.
Patterson had been studying fashion marketing before the beating, but was forced to drop out after. He remains blind in his left eye.
The trial will continue Thursday.