91177info | June 24, 2010 | 2:06

What has the world come to? The defense has even justified the police actions here! NEW YORK (WABC) -- Prosecutors have released potentially explosive evidence against an NYPD officer on trial for beating a man with his baton.

That alleged victim is an Iraqi war veteran.

Prosecutors are relying on the piece of video, because the alleged victim cannot be found.

Nobody is disputing the beating itself, or whether it's police brutality and whether the officer tried to cover it up.

The video is high quality and crystal clear, but whether Housing Officer David London went too far is still blurry and still up to a jury.

The video taken from security cameras shows the 45-year-old housing cop beating an Iraq war veteran with is baton.

It happened at an Upper West Side public housing development.

The alleged victim, 28-year-old Walter Harvin had just returned from Iraq and was at his mom's apartment complex.

In the video Harvin is seen shoving Officer London, and London then reacts by swinging and bashing Harvin with his baton. Even beating the ex-soldier after he's cuffed.

Prosecutors say London tried to cover-up the July 2007 assault, but defense attorneys say the officer did what he had to do.

He's charged with 2nd degree assault and filing false records.

Right now the Manhattan criminal jury is tackling the question on whether London committed an act of police brutality or used necessary force to subdue a suspect.

The Iraq veteran suffers from PTSD and his location is not known.

If the officer is convicted, he faces 7 years in prison.

For updates please visit http://abclocal.go.com

First, prosecutors released video footage of a NYPD officer brutally beating an Iraq war vet with a baton in the apartment building where the vet was staying with his mother. The officers claim the vet was taunting and threatening them but, with no audio on the surveillance footage, it sure seems more like the officers were badgering him before finally beating him down instead. The victim is not expected to testify since he's gone missing, his family says he's too afraid due to his PTSD.

http://www.injusticeeverywhere.com/