Recently, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) made some of their disciplinary records public. ABC 7 reviewed the records and investigated over 20 years’ worth of complaints against NYPD officers. Most notably, accusations of police brutality. Overall, ABC 7 concluded that while a relatively small number of accusations were substantiated, an even smaller number of officers were actually disciplined. In today’s tense political and racial climate, these complaints are carrying more weight than ever before. We represented the individuals who were interviewed for the news segment and successfully won their case.
If you or someone you know has been violated by the police in any way, contact a lawyer to build your NYC police brutality case. We will work tirelessly to fight for you to get the representation and compensation you deserve.
The facts.
ABC reported that approximately 103,000 complaints have been filed against New York City police officers over the last 20 years. Of those registered complaints, only 7.5% were substantiated. However, only 3.5% of the accused police officers were disciplined at all. Examples of disciplinary action include “formalized training,” or “instruction,” and losing vacation days. However, even these repercussions are widely considered to be a slap on the wrist.
A complaint against a NYPD officer must all go through the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB). This independent agency serves as an unbiased board to investigate complaints and recommend potential disciplinary actions. However, it’s worth noting that the police commissioner has the final word as to whether or not to carry out disciplinary action.
A harrowing example.
Elon Williams experienced a case of police brutality when he was pulled over in the Bronx while driving his new vehicle. Having recently customized the car, its exhaust was loud and backfired when he was test driving it. This is when NYPD officers assumed the pop of the backfire was a gunshot and pulled him over.
According to ABC 7, The stop and arrest was captured on a parking lot surveillance camera. The video shows Williams putting his hands in the air. Approximately 5 or 6 police officers surrounded Williams and used unnecessary force to subdue and attack him, including kicks to the head, punches, and more, all of which were caught on camera.
“He drove his car and parked it in front of a camera, got out with his hands up as you can see in the video and was just beaten by the police and the Bronx jury saw through the defense,” said Williams’ attorney Michael Ronemus.
After the attack, Williams was left with severe head wounds and 5 herniated discs. William states that he was fearful that he might not survive the attack. He was eventually arrested and released. After launching a formal complaint with the CCRB over ten years ago, he never received a response. Williams then filed a lawsuit in a civil court where he was awarded $2.3 million dollars.
While this is an example of a successful case in terms of a granted settlement, this is clearly a severe injustice. Williams has since left the country and resides abroad after the traumatizing event. Unfortunately, this seems to be a recurring issue in the U.S., and we are committed to fighting for our clients who have been victims of police brutality in New York City. Contact us today for a consultation so we can help you build your case.
Contact a NYC Police Brutality Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been a victim of police brutality, false arrest, sexual harassment, or police discrimination in NYC, contact us to ensure your legal rights are protected and that you are compensated for injuries both mental and physical. Our police brutality lawyers, harassment lawyers, discrimination attorneys have the expertise and experience needed to help you as well as proven results, having won millions of dollars for their clients.
