A civil rights lawsuit has been filed against the City of New York and its police department, accusing them of negligence and discrimination. On December 3, 2024, Devonte Waldron filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York against the City of New York, the New York City Police Department (NYPD), and several unnamed police officers.
The case stems from an incident on October 9, 2023, when Waldron, an African American male with mental and intellectual disabilities, was allegedly assaulted by five unidentified men wearing Hasidic Jewish garments in Brooklyn.
According to the complaint, these men accused Waldron of assaulting another individual before violently attacking him. Despite civilian witnesses identifying the attackers to responding police officers, no action was taken against them. Instead, Waldron claims he was mistreated by the police due to his race.
Waldron’s lawsuit accuses the defendants of conspiring to violate his civil rights by failing to investigate or take action against those responsible for his assault.
The complaint also alleges that the negligence is part of a broader pattern within the NYPD of tolerating abuses against Black individuals. It states that previous incidents involving NYPD officers were not properly addressed or disciplined, fostering a culture in which such discriminatory behavior is permitted.
Waldron seeks substantial damages for physical and emotional harm resulting from both the assault and subsequent police misconduct.
Specifically, he is demanding $2 million for each of three counts related to violations under federal civil rights statutes (42 U.S.C. §§ 1981, 1983), along with an additional $20 million in punitive damages against all defendants for their alleged malicious conduct.
Representing Waldron is Frederick K. Brewington of The Law Offices of Frederick K. Brewington in Hempstead, New York. The case has been assigned Docket No. CV-24-8315.