New York Civil Rights And Criminal Law Blog

When a suspect dies while in police custody, "excited delirium" is often cited as the cause of death. Medical examiners concluded that excited delirium killed a 41-year-old man who was arrested by the New York City Police Department in 2020, a 43-year-old man who was taken into custody in Missouri in 2019 and a 22-year-old man who was repeatedly tased by Wisconsin police officers in 2017. Police training manuals describe excited delirium as a condition characterized by extreme agitation, hallucinations and unusual displays of strength, but it is not recognized by the American Psychiatric...

New York has a difficult history when it comes to police misconduct. Although there has been some progress in the relationship between police and community members, many issues still need to be resolved. What is police brutality? Police brutality could be defined as unlawfully using excessive force or violating a citizen's civil rights when dealing with the public. Under New York law, this includes activities like: Causing physical or psychological harm Tampering with or mishandling evidence Using coercion False imprisonment or arrest Falsifying police reports Sexual misconduct Several...

New York City spent approximately $121 million to settle police misconduct cases in 2022, and between $4 million and $6 million of that money was paid to 300 people who were boxed in and violently arrested while protesting in the Bronx in 2020. The amount the city is paying to police misconduct victims has raised questions about the way these cases are being handled by the Law Department’s Special Federal Litigation Department. The Law Department is tasked with defending the city and all of its agencies, but it is also expected to act in a way that represents the people’s best interests....

Police misconduct has been a pressing issue in New York, with cases ranging from excessive use of force to racial profiling and even sexual assault. While these incidents can devastate the victims and their families, they also have a hefty price tag for cities and taxpayers. Police misconduct costs cities millions of dollars yearly in legal fees, settlements and judgments. Legal fees One of the primary costs of police misconduct is legal fees. When a citizen files a lawsuit against the police department, the city is responsible for providing legal representation for the accused officer....