Conclusion Meanings:
'Exonerated': or 'Within NYPD Guidelines' - the alleged conduct occurred but did not violate the NYPD's own rules, which often give officers significant discretion.
'Substantiated': The alleged conduct occurred and it violated the rules. The NYPD has discretion over what, if any, discipline is imposed.
'Unsubstantiated': or 'Unable to Determine' - CCRB has fully investigated but could not affirmatively conclude both that the conduct occurred and that it broke the rules.
Further details on conclusion definitions.
Named in 4 known lawsuits, $20,800,000 total settlements.
Bolt, Rohan vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 22CV03318,
U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, June 14, 2022
Complaint
Description: In December of 1996, Rohan Bolt was arrested for the murders of Charles Davis and Ira "Mike" Epstein. He subsequently spent 24 years incarcerated before the conviction was vacated due to law enforcement's improper handling of the case. Bolt's arrest was based on an unreliable witness who referred to a person named "Roti." Bolt stated that he was never called that name and another alleged witness failed to identify him in a lineup until pressured by Defendant Frank Bovino. Defendants Cardamone and Brooks knowingly elicited a false confession from one of Bolt's codefendants and failed to inform prosecutors that the confession was coerced. Defendants Pia and Sica also forced the third codefendant to adopt a statem...
Johnson, Gary vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 22CV03320,
U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, June 9, 2022
Complaint
Description: On December 23, 1996, NYPD arrested a mentally unstable drug dealer who was coerced by Defendant Falciano into naming the Plaintiff as an involved member in the murder of a check-cashing store owner and off-duty police officer, that had occurred two days prior. Despite the unreliability of the arrested man, the Plaintiff himself was arrested and interrogated by Defendants Cardamone, Bovino, and Brooks. The three officers at the time did not record their interview and disposed of their notes after obtaining a false confession from the Plaintiff. The Defendants knew the confession was false and coerced, yet still implicated the Plaintiff to prosecution. Additionally, Defendants Bubelnik and Bovino worked with de...
Bell, George vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 22CV03251,
U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, June 7, 2022, ended November 21, 2023
$17,500,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: On June 11, 1999, Plaintiff was convicted of a double homicide, including the murder of an off-duty police officer. After 24 years in prison, Plaintiff’s conviction was vacated and he was released. The conviction hinged on a confession, which was obtained by threatening and beating Plaintiff while he was sleep-deprived. Plaintiff was told by police interrogators he would never seen his family again and would be executed unless he cooperated. When Plaintiff proclaimed his innocence, he was beaten and threatened with further violence. Officers later went on to withhold “mountains” of Brady material, which was later revealed through investigation. The evidence would have proven that members of a local gang committ...
Majors, Robert vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 21CV05078,
U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, September 16, 2021, ended October 20, 2022
$3,300,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: In 2001, Plaintiff was convicted on two counts of double attempted murder and robbery. In 2018, Plaintiff obtained an affidavit, witnessed by police detective days after the attempted murder, in which an informant provided credible, well-corroborated evidence exonerating Plaintiff and identifying the actual perpetrators. Police and prosecutors concealed the affidavit from Plaintiff for 21 years. Ion May 18, 2020, the convictions against Plaintiff were vacated. The judge found that the suppression of evidence violated Plaintiff’s constitutional Brady rights.