In Other Media-eg New Statesman, AJE, FP, Georgia, NYT,  Azerbaijan, CSM Click here to contact us     .

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - ESPN

SDNY COURTHOUSE, April 20 – Eliezer Lopez sued NYPD officers of the 42nd Precinct in The Bronx for excessive force.

He was chased, he says, by police who did not show badges in Crotona Park North and Arthur Avenue. He was pushed after being told, "this is what happens when you run from the cops."        

   On September 1 U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Loretta A. Preska held a final pre-trial conference. Inner City Press covered it. 

 Judge Preska described how trial work during the time of COVID, saying that this one will be in large Courtroom 26B. She was asked, Is that where you did the Donziger trial? 

 The municipal defendants asked questions like, Can we leave the drugs seized from plaintiff with the Marshals overnight during the trial? It was said the trial will begin on September 15.

Jump cut to April 7, 2022, and the trial was on. Inner City Press covered it, in person. The police officer witness, not in the glassed-in box used for example in the just concluded US v. Larry Ray trial, testified that he had merely chased Lopez to the railing, and watched him climb and jump over it.

  Plaintiff's counsel grilled him about previous deposition answers and his answers drew instructions from Judge Preska. The witness said a doctor had found drugs in the plaintiff's clothes, but then couldn't name the race or even gender of the doctor.

April 8, the trial went past 5 pm with Sergeant Rosario on the stand. He demonstrated how undercover officers wear their NYPD shield on chairs or laces, but could not explain why he did not tell IAB that the now partially paralyzed Lopez said he feel or jumped and was not pushed by Officer Linares.

The jury issues a finding of liability in the plaintiff's favor. On April 20 the City's Law Department wrote to Judge Preska that now "the parties wish to explore the possibility of settlement" over the next 60 days - along with a request that judgment not be entered yet.

Inner City Press will continue to cover the case.

The case is Laureano v. City of New York et al., 17-cv-181 (Preska) 

***

Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron.

Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com
SDNY Press Room 480, front cubicle
500 Pearl Street, NY NY 10007 USA

Mail: Box 20047, Dag Hammarskjold Station NY NY 10017

Reporter's mobile (and weekends): 718-716-3540

Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.

 Copyright 2006-2021 Inner City Press, Inc. To request reprint or other permission, e-contact Editorial [at] innercitypress.com