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City of New York Settles Police Beating Case for $614,500

by Christopher Zoukis

The City of New York and two NYPD officers have settled a lawsuit alleging multiple beatings at the hands of officers.

Jateik Reed, William Reid and Trevor Nigel alleged that they were improperly stopped and frisked outside their home in January 2012. During the stop and frisk, several NYPD officers came to the scene, and a scuffle broke out. Jateik Reed was brutally beaten and pepper sprayed by multiple officers, and Trever Nigel was pepper sprayed while he attempted to record the beating on his cellphone. Reed was arrested, and received further beatings on his way to the 42nd Street Station, and while at the station.

Meanwhile, Reed's friends and family responded to the station to determine his fate. While at the station another scuffle erupted, and several of Reed's family were beaten by officers. Reed's mother was arrested and was allegedly referred to as a "black bitch" by a female NYPD officer. Her young son, J.J., was taken by the police and held away from the family for several hours. J.J. also lost the eyes to his Mister Potato Head in the course of the assaults.

Reed, Reid, Nigel, J.J. and several other involved family members sued. They claimed that Officers Mervin Montalban, Alfonsina Delacruz, Jodi Brown, Robert Jaquez, Ray Sanchez, Jason Vasquez, Kieran Rohan, David Terrell, Galvin Ferguson, Cesar Garcia and Delano Nosworthy committed various acts of assault and battery, false arrest, abuse of process, conversion, malicious prosecution, negligence and violation of the Constitution.

The case settled in July 2016. The City of New York agreed to pay Jateik Reed $475,000 and Sergeant Alfonsina Delacruz agreed to personally pay him $5,000. The City also agreed to pay Schuan Reed $65,000; William Reid $25,000; J.J. $30,000; Jashawn Walker $9,500; and Trevor Nigel $4,500. Detective Robert Jaquez also agreed to pay Nigel $500 personally.

As is typical in these types of settlements, none of the defendants admitted liability. See:  Reed v. City of New York, Index No. 350121-2013 (Sup. Ct. Bronx Cnty. 2016).

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Related legal case

Reed v. City of New York