Friday was day three of the bench trial of suspended Rochester Police officer Michael Sippel, who is accused of assaulting Christopher Pate during an arrest in May 2018.

• RPD officer accused of assaulting man last May
• The alleged victim took the stand Friday
• The defense sought to challenge his credibility during cross examination

An emergency room doctor took the stand first Friday, testifying to the injuries Pate sustained during the arrest, which included a fracture underneath the left eye.

And then Sippel faced his accuser, with Pate taking the stand to testify.

Pate detailed for prosecution his memory of events last May leading up to the alleged assault, when he says he was taken to the ground, tased without warning and hit on the left side of the face “more than once” after crossing the street due to his fear of the police officers.

Then the defense had an opportunity to question Pate, where they sought to challenge his credibility.

They cross examined his statements to the prosecution against statements previously made on the initial complaint and to the grand jury.

Afterward, body cam footage was shown of Pate crossing the street and the arrest.

Pate keeps shouting, “You have my ID!” while police keep telling him to stop resisting, and to put his hands behind his back. There are warnings heard that he’s going to be tased — all this led the defense to call the incident one big misunderstanding.

“I’ve talked about miscommunication in the past, not between the two officers, but Mr. Pate and the two officers. Frankly, had he just stopped and said, ‘I’m Christopher Pate, this could’ve all been avoided,’” said Clark Zimmermann, defense attorney.

The trial resumes Monday at 2 p.m.

The prosecution is expected to try and call Sippel to the stand, or use his testimony to the grand jury.