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The NYPD has been stonewalling investigations into police abuse. That’s what @mrsimon22 and I reported this week.
The NYPD denies it.
They say make “every effort” to cooperate with investigators.
So I thought I’d lay out some examples.
Warning: The cases are graphic.
The NYPD denies it.
They say make “every effort” to cooperate with investigators.
So I thought I’d lay out some examples.
Warning: The cases are graphic.
A 15-year-old told investigators he was walking home when cops started chasing him, and an officer driving hit him. Then cops punched & kicked him.
They didn’t arrest him.
The @CCRB_NYC investigated.
But they were thwarted by the NYPD, which *redacted & erased records.*
They didn’t arrest him.
The @CCRB_NYC investigated.
But they were thwarted by the NYPD, which *redacted & erased records.*
The teen hadn't made up the story. NYPD officers said colleagues had stopped the teen.
But after police redacted & erased key docs, the civilian investigators @CCRB_NYC hit a wall.
They had to close the case as “officer(s) unidentified.”
https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/ccrb/downloads/pdf/policy_pdf/issue_based/CCRB_YouthReport.pdf
But after police redacted & erased key docs, the civilian investigators @CCRB_NYC hit a wall.
They had to close the case as “officer(s) unidentified.”
https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/ccrb/downloads/pdf/policy_pdf/issue_based/CCRB_YouthReport.pdf
NYPD did not respond to my questions about what happened, or my questions about the other cases in this thread.
Instead, the NYPD said this.
https://www.propublica.org/article/the-nypd-is-withholding-evidence-from-investigations-into-police-abuse
Instead, the NYPD said this.
https://www.propublica.org/article/the-nypd-is-withholding-evidence-from-investigations-into-police-abuse
Another case:
An NYPD officer stopped a young Black man. The cop thought he had pot.
The officer grabbed him from behind, picked him up & slammed him to the ground, leaving him w/ a brain bleed & in the hospital for 6 days.
Here are the details.
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/7034573-Case-Summary-from-New-York-s-Civilian-Complaint.html
An NYPD officer stopped a young Black man. The cop thought he had pot.
The officer grabbed him from behind, picked him up & slammed him to the ground, leaving him w/ a brain bleed & in the hospital for 6 days.
Here are the details.
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/7034573-Case-Summary-from-New-York-s-Civilian-Complaint.html
The NYPD had seven videos from body-worn cameras. But the NYPD refused to share almost any of it.
They said they were respecting the privacy of a teen who was in the shots. Rather than blurring his face, the NYPD withheld the footage.
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/7034573-Case-Summary-from-New-York-s-Civilian-Complaint.html
They said they were respecting the privacy of a teen who was in the shots. Rather than blurring his face, the NYPD withheld the footage.
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/7034573-Case-Summary-from-New-York-s-Civilian-Complaint.html
I spoke to the now-retired federal judge who ruled stop-and-frisk unconstitutional and ordered the NYPD to use body cams.
She said the NYPD’s refusal to share footage “seems like contempt.”
The NYPD is *required by law* to share evidence w/ civ investigators.
She said the NYPD’s refusal to share footage “seems like contempt.”
The NYPD is *required by law* to share evidence w/ civ investigators.
Then *this June*, after all the protests, police tasered a man named George Zapantis at least 6x.
He screamed, "I can't breath! Help me!"
The police said he'd been holding a sword when they tasered him. Video showed he'd put it down long before.
https://www.propublica.org/article/the-nypd-is-withholding-evidence-from-investigations-into-police-abuse
He screamed, "I can't breath! Help me!"
The police said he'd been holding a sword when they tasered him. Video showed he'd put it down long before.
https://www.propublica.org/article/the-nypd-is-withholding-evidence-from-investigations-into-police-abuse
Zapantis' family filed a complaint w/ @CCRB_nyc. But once again, the civ investigators have been blocked by NYPD
NYPD won’t share records, not until its own investigation is done.
A police spox warned: “Sometimes, these investigations may require a year or longer to complete.”
NYPD won’t share records, not until its own investigation is done.
A police spox warned: “Sometimes, these investigations may require a year or longer to complete.”
These are not one-offs. The NYPD is regularly refusing to share evidence with the civilians charged w/ investigating police abuse.
Here's the full story from me & @mrsimon22 https://www.propublica.org/article/the-nypd-is-withholding-evidence-from-investigations-into-police-abuse
Here's the full story from me & @mrsimon22 https://www.propublica.org/article/the-nypd-is-withholding-evidence-from-investigations-into-police-abuse
We're not done. We're digging into police impunity.
If you know something we should look at, email me at eric.umansky@propublica.org or DM me right here on Twitter.
If you know something we should look at, email me at eric.umansky@propublica.org or DM me right here on Twitter.
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