A man has filed a lawsuit against the city, alleging police misconduct and systemic failures within the New York City justice system caused him to be wrongfully convicted of murder.
According to the complaint, plaintiff Antonio Mallet was wrongfully convicted in 1999 for the 1996 murder of Michael Ledeatte, based on a coerced eyewitness identification. The lawsuit alleges that former NYPD Detectives Joseph Nieves and Kevin Tracy coerced witness Gregory Walker into falsely identifying Mallet as the shooter. A review by the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office later concluded that Mallet’s conviction was the result of "egregious government misconduct." The review also noted prior allegations of coercion and evidence fabrication against both detectives.
The lawsuit includes multiple claims under federal and state law, including violations of due process, malicious prosecution, and negligence. It also asserts a Monell claim against the City of New York for failing to prevent such misconduct through adequate training, supervision, and discipline. Mallet seeks compensatory and punitive damages for the more than two decades he spent wrongfully imprisoned.
The complaint also references findings such as the Mollen Commission Report, which documented patterns of corruption and falsified evidence within the NYPD during the 1990s. Mallet’s attorneys argue that these conditions created an environment in which police misconduct went unchecked, contributing to his wrongful conviction.
The plaintiff is represented by attorneys David B. Shanies of Shanies Law Office and Ronald L. Kuby of the Law Office of Ronald L. Kuby. The case was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York under Case No. 25-CV-3755.