In a harrowing account of alleged police misconduct, a man has taken legal action against the City of New York and unnamed officers, accusing them of excessive force and civil rights violations. On February 17, 2026, Carlos Farias filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York against the City of New York and several John and Jane Doe defendants. The lawsuit stems from an incident on November 19, 2024, when Farias claims he was violently apprehended by plainclothes NYPD officers near his home.
According to the complaint filed by Farias's attorney Brett H. Klein, Esq., PLLC, the plaintiff was waiting to meet his girlfriend near Regent Place in Kings County when an unmarked NYPD vehicle approached him. Four officers allegedly ran at him, forcibly threw him to the ground, handcuffed him, and continued to assault him even after he was restrained. The complaint states that during this encounter, one officer pointed a gun at Farias's head and threatened to shoot if he moved. As a result of this incident, Farias suffered severe injuries including chipped teeth and deep cuts.
Farias accuses the City of New York of failing to properly train its police officers in appropriate use-of-force techniques and de-escalation strategies. He asserts that these systemic failures have led to widespread practices among NYPD officers involving unreasonable force and falsification of reports. "The CITY OF NEW YORK has failed to take corrective action despite being aware of such improper training," alleges Farias in his filing.
The plaintiff is seeking compensatory damages for physical injuries and emotional distress as well as punitive damages against individual defendants for their actions under color of state law. The lawsuit also demands attorneys' fees under federal statutes 42 U.S.C. §§ 1983 and 1988 for violations related to excessive force and failure to intervene by fellow officers.
Farias's legal team is pressing multiple causes of action including municipal liability against the City of New York for its policies or lack thereof that they claim directly contributed to the violation of his constitutional rights. Additionally, state law claims such as assault, battery, negligent hiring practices are included within this comprehensive legal challenge.
Representing Carlos Farias is attorney Brett H. Klein from his firm located at 233 Broadway in New York City. This case will be heard before judges assigned within the Eastern District Court under Case ID: 1:26-cv-00947.
Source: 126cv00947_Farias_v_City_of_New_York_Complaint_Eastern_District_New_York.pdf