A Brooklyn man is suing the City of New York and the New York City Police Department, alleging that his civil rights were violated in a wrongful arrest that led to an unjust conviction.
Plaintiff Levar Riley names the City, the NYPD, and former NYPD officer Jerry Bowens as defendants. According to the complaint, Riley was arrested by Bowens on September 28, 2001, for allegedly selling narcotics and possessing a handgun. Riley contends that these allegations were fabricated and that Bowens conspired with another officer to file false reports, which led to his indictment. The lawsuit asserts that Riley was not in possession of drugs or a weapon at the time and that Bowens falsely claimed to have observed drug sales and recovered a firearm from Riley’s waistband. The gun was allegedly found on the floor near where Riley had been standing.
The complaint describes Riley’s case as part of a broader pattern within the NYPD involving fabricated evidence and arrest quotas. It references prior instances of misconduct by officers, including cases in which drugs were planted on individuals. In 2008, Bowens was indicted for falsifying police records and later convicted of murder in an unrelated matter. That history has contributed to numerous convictions being vacated due to officer misconduct.
Riley is seeking compensatory damages for alleged violations of his constitutional rights under the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments, as well as attorney’s fees and additional relief as the court may determine. The complaint states that Riley endured significant trauma during his eight-month incarceration at Rikers Island Correctional Facility.
The plaintiff is represented by attorney Rudy Velez. The case was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York under Case ID 1:25-cv-02500.