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Media Convictions of the Innocent

When a person sues police officers for violating his or her civil rights, the officer is represented by New York City’s Corporation Counsel.  So we were quite interested to read what an attorney for the office had to say about police misconduct plaintiffs and lawyers.

Published in the right wing Daily Caller under the headline “The Police Misconduct Racket”, it criticized, among other things, misleading headlines in newspaper reports about police misconduct cases, without the slightest bit of irony about what the editor titled the article.  He also complains about civil rights lawyers who mislead the public in the press by drawing the conclusion that cops engaged in misconduct based on the fact that the case was settled. can ivermectin be taken daily   His example was a lawyer who sued cops for the sexual harassment of other cops perceived as gay. لعبة قمار حقيقية His client obtained a large settlement and noted that this case of misconduct was further proof of same-sex harassment. شرح بوكر   Of course, in that very case, the cop was prosecuted within NYPD and found guilty of “rubbing his crotch, simulating masturbation and wiggling his tongue at the [gay] sergeants.”  Forgive me, but I don’t think that the plaintiff’s lawyer was going out on a limb with his quote.

This police officer as victim narrative is sadly typical, but as anyone civilian armed only with common sense and a little urban experience knows, it’s simply not true.  What is true is the media’s frequent conviction of ultimately innocent people in the newspapers, often with information supplied by NYPD.

Take the example of Mitchell Allan (this is a false name so as not to further publicize the slander against him).  He was home early one morning, when police came to his door and arrested him.  They accused him of a heinous crime, robbing a two year old girl and her pregnant mother of their jewelry.  He vehemently denied the charge.  He spent hours upon hours at the precinct, and eventually, was booked and put through the system.  After a few hours at Central Booking, an officer called out his name, opened the cell door, and escorted him to the back door of the courthouse.  He was set free without even seeing a judge.  The District Attorney’s office had declined to prosecute him. ivermectin kills dogs   He didn’t commit the crime. ivexterm para que sirve este medicamento

Of course, his presumption of innocence did not stop NYPD’s Public Information Unit from tipping off a reporter at one of the tabloids that they caught the perp, and his name was Mitchell Allan.  Nor did his total exoneration by the DA declining to prosecute the case cause the tabloid to issue a correction.  Your author even contacted the reporters to tell them they unfairly accused the wrong guy, but to no avail.  They would not issue a correction.

Now Mr. Allan is known in his neighborhood as the guy who stole the jewelry from a toddler.  His prospects are permanently damaged as a result of NYPD’s reckless disregard for this innocent man’s reputation. 888   So please understand when we get annoyed when we read about the poor police officers who settle high profile police misconduct cases and get named in the newspaper.

Founding partner Leo Glickman has a long track record of holding the powerful accountable and fighting for progressive candidates and causes. Mr. Glickman represents candidates for Statewide and Citywide offices as well as many candidates for local legislative positions.