When George Floyd died while under arrest in Minneapolis, his death sent shock waves across the country. Once again, video showed an unarmed black man begging for his life while a police officer pinned down Floyd’s neck with his knee. Within days, large protests around the country, including in New York, brought more attention to continued police brutality against African Americans and the Black Lives Matter cause.
Police and protester conflict
With those protests after Floyd’s death came additional clashes between police and protestors. In fact, in New York, one NYPD officer recently was arrested and charged with assault after video surfaced of him forcefully shoving a protester. The protestor, Dounya Zayer, 20, fell to the ground, smacking her head on the pavement. She suffered a seizure and a concussion as the result of her injuries.
The NYPD officer, Vincent D’Andraia, 28, was suspended after incident became public and was charged with assault on June 16. He faces a year in prison and a $1,000 fine if convicted. Yet, first-time offenders rarely see jail time.
The problem of police brutality
The problem of police brutality has a large part of the Black Lives Matter movement and related protests. Now, many large cities are considering widespread policing reform as the result of Floyd’s death, among others, including that of Eric Garner on July 17, 2014 in Staten Island. Garner died after officers put him in a chokehold for several minutes when arresting him. Garner, who suffered from asthma, repeatedly told officers he couldn’t breathe, a sentiment Floyd echoed while a Minneapolis officer pinned him down.
Kelly & Rubin LLP specializes in helping victims of police brutality recover compensation for injuries and wrongful death. If you have received an injury because of police brutality during an arrest or in one of the recent protests, reach out to us now. We offer free consultations on how much compensation you could receive.
