$125,000 Settlement Given To Man Arrested for Photographing NYPD 231
mpicpp sends word of a $125,000 settlement for a man who was arrested for photographing members of the New York Police Department. On June 14th, 2012, the man was sitting in his car when he saw three African-American youths being stopped and frisked by police officers. He began taking pictures of the encounter, and after the police were done, he advised the youths to get the officers' badge numbers next time. When the officers heard him, they pulled him violently from his car and arrested him under a charge of disorderly conduct. The police allegedly deleted the pictures from his phone (PDF). Rather than go to trial, the city's lawyers decided a settlement was the best course of action.
idgi (Score:5, Interesting)
I get the civil settlement, but did the police not also commit a crime?
Always lock your phone! (Score:5, Interesting)
Ferguson Should take note (Score:2, Interesting)
Fiscal penalties can work
They're ruined.
Civil rights violations are a federal crime.
Re:how are cops like bank executives? (Score:5, Interesting)
From TFA:
“Now we’re going to give you what you deserve for meddling in our business and when we finish with you, you can sue the city for $5 million and get rich, we don’t care,” Lt. Dennis Ferber said, according to the suit filed in Brooklyn Federal Court.
It appears the police followed exactly your logic. However if that statement is substantiated, Ferber's boss would be seriously derelict in their duty if they didn't fire him for this. He's publicly stated that he doesn't care about knowingly causing a multi-million dollar liability for his employer. IANAL, but I expect that should these cops not get punished and pull a similar stunt again, the city would open themselves up for greater punitive damages, as they'd let employees with a known track record of rights abuse continue working where they were likely to abuse again.
It would be good to see criminal proceedings, but I doubt it will happen.
Re:That's awesome! Taxpayers get fucked! (Score:5, Interesting)