New York Attorney General Letitia James is suing New York City and the New York Police Department (NYPD), alleging excessive force when handling the protests that followed the killing of George Floyd last summer. This is the first time a state attorney general has ever filed a lawsuit against a police department. Take a look at the details of the lawsuit to find out why the attorney general is suing and what she hopes to achieve with this case.
What Does the Lawsuit Allege?
The main reason James is suing both the city and the police department is due to what she describes as the excessive force used on thousands of people during protests for racial justice in 2020. The NYPD arrested more than 2,000 protestors, and many complained of being injured by the police—with many presenting videos to back up their claims.
In fact, about 100 people came forward to contribute their own stories at a hearing about excessive force. Of those 100 people, there were reports of 30 incidents where the police used pepper spray and 50 times where they used batons. In addition, about 75 protestors complained of being punched or shoved by the police, and there’s evidence of police ramming protestors with bicycles and using a dangerous strategy called kettling to contain them in one place. Some protestors have even filed personal injury lawsuits against the NYPD due to serious injuries.
Additionally, several people reported essential workers being arrested for breaking curfew—even though they were supposed to be exempt from it. And many medics and onlookers were arrested, despite being legally allowed to be at the protests. Overall, James has called these assaults excessive, brutal, and awful—and she’s demanding change now.
What’s the Goal of the Lawsuit?
The attorney general has said her main goal in filing this lawsuit is to first declare the NYPD’s excessive force unlawful. She also wants to have a court-appointed monitor supervise the NYPD’s tactics at any future protests, which should help bolster the process of systemic reforms. After all, James pointed out that this isn’t a one-time issue. She says she’s seen a pattern of harmful and even illegal actions taken by the NYPD and encouraged by Mayor Bill de Blasio.
That’s why the lawsuit doesn’t target any individual police officers, as it focuses more on the big picture with a pattern of the police department’s handling of protests. In particular, the lawsuit charges the following with wrongdoing:
- NYPD
- Mayor Bill de Blasio
- The City of New York
- NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan
- NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea
The attorney general has stated that the city’s leadership failed to train police officers properly on how to handle protests and did not stop or discipline the police who injured protestors. That’s why she wants to remove control of the NYPD from the city and instead give it to an independent panel.
Mayor de Blasio has expressed remorse for failing to provide better leadership for the police department, but he said he’s disappointed in the lawsuit as it would slow down his efforts for systemic change within NYPD. Civil rights lawyers and even police union representatives have said these issues have been going on for years and need to be addressed now—even if it means taking control of the NYPD from the city’s leadership.
Do You Need Legal Help?
If you can relate to the New York attorney general’s claims of excessive force because you were injured by police at a protest, look into getting legal representation so you can file a personal injury lawsuit. After all, you shouldn’t be financially responsible for medical bills or pain and suffering because of someone else’s decision to harm you.
So whether someone injured you during a protest or when you were simply on your way to work or the store, contact Bennett Injury Law today to find out your legal options for personal injury lawsuits. As you await the day of your free initial consultation, read our blog posts about important issues, such as National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month and National Human Rights Month.
