Rikers Island has earned a bad reputation for excessive force in New York City including civil rights violations and the creation a "culture of prisoner abuse" over the years but the latest black eye for the jail complex stems from a bizarre incident in 2011. Barry...
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Excessive Force
Important Supreme Court Ruling Affects Cases of Excessive Force in New York City
A recent Supreme Court ruling could have a dramatic effect on current and future lawsuits regarding excessive force in New York City. The ruling clearly states that the written standards regarding what force is warranted and what is considered excessive are the only...
Last Year’s Fatal Shooting of Unarmed Man Ends with Cop’s Indictment
Accidental discharge or excessive force in New York City? Last year, Akai Gurley, an unarmed 28-year old man, was fatally shot by NYPD officer Peter Liang. The shooting occurred in the stairwell of the Louis H. Pink Houses in Brooklyn. The NYPD just recently announced...
Excessive Force in New York: NYPD Using Chokeholds 20 Years After Ban
Recent high-profile cases have put the use of excessive force in New York City on the national stage once again. The unpunished chokehold death of an unarmed black man on Staten Island sparked protests, riots, and a media flurry this past year but chokeholds-and...
Man Wins $100K Award in New York Excessive Force Case
A Brooklyn man was recently awarded a $100,000 verdict as a result of a case of excessive force in New York City. 40-year old Rodger Rickettes was forcibly detained by two NYPD officers after walking between cars on the subway in Brooklyn. The officers in question...
NYPD Officer Kills Young Man, Claims Fatal Shot was “Accidental Discharge”
Another fatal case of excessive force in New York has claimed the life of an innocent young man. Akai Gurley was shot and killed on November 20th in a dimly-lit stairwell in Brooklyn. The shooter was a rookie NYPD officer who claims he never meant to pull the trigger....
NYPD Under Fire as Two Officers are Videotaped Hitting Underage Child
The NYPD is facing intense media scrutiny after surveillance video surfaced showing alleged use of excessive force in New York City (specifically, the Bed Stuy neighborhood of Brooklyn). Shot without the officers' knowledge, the video shows two officers approaching...
NYPD Officer Shoots Unarmed Man In Harlem
Police shootings have captured headlines around the country recently and there has been yet another officer-involved incident right here in Harlem. On September 4th an unarmed man was shot by a NYPD officer during a struggle in Marcus Garvey Park. The 28-year old...
Police Brutality Alleged in Staten Island Choke Hold Death
Family members and victim advocates are alleging police brutality in New York City after a 43-year old father died during or shortly after being allegedly placed in a choke hold by an NYPD officer. Eric Garner was accused of selling illegal cigarettes on a Staten...
Family of Man Who Collapsed During Police Raid Files Lawsuit
The NYPD has come under a lot of attention from media outlets recently for a variety of different incidents. One of the most shocking is the death of Carlos Alcis. The 43-year old father of 8 collapsed during a police raid of his Brooklyn home and died after suffering...