Police Misconduct Lawyer Bronx

Police misconduct has made headline news recently because of the large number of fatalities resulting from the use of excessive force on unarmed citizens. High profile cases in Cleveland, Ohio; Ferguson, Missouri; and here in New York have enraged a significant part of the population. At Domina Law, we care for our community and know all too well that grand juries too often decline to indict police officers for their violence against citizens. With a specialized Bronx police misconduct lawyer, you have the opportunity to recover the compensation you deserve.

In 2013, a recent review of substantiated New York City police misconduct cases by the Civilian Complaint Review Board from January to August found that the NYPD failed to prosecute 28 percent of those cases.

The criminal justice system does not often succeed in bringing justice to the victims of police misconduct, but that does not mean you have no recourse if you’ve been victimized by an officer of the law. You may still be able to receive money in compensation for your injuries, or for a loved one’s wrongful death, in the civil court system, where the standard of proof is less stringent than that required for a criminal conviction. This requires hiring a police misconduct attorney in the Bronx who is experienced in handling municipal claims. You can get a free case evaluation from attorney Dino Domina, who has substantial experience in police misconduct cases.

How Widespread is the Problem?

The Cato Institute’s National Police Misconduct Reporting Project attempts to monitor the growing problem of police brutality in the United States and your Bronx police misconduct lawyer needs to be well versed on these staggering statics. These are some of their findings from January 2010 through September 2010, the most recent year for which they have been published:

  • 3,814 reported instances of misconduct affected 5,711 victims
  • 4,966 law enforcement officers were involved
  • 193 fatalities resulted from the reports that were tracked
  • Civil judgments and settlements for the period studied totaled approximately $213,840,800.

The actual numbers of misconduct are substantially higher; police departments do not routinely report incidences of police brutality, for obvious reasons. A national watchdog group, Killed by Police, reports that at least 1,066 people have been killed by U.S. police since January 1, 2014, and at least 1,825 have been killed since May 1, 2013.

According to National Urban League CEO Marc Morial, the number of killings of citizens in 2014 by police is at a twenty-year high.

And we haven’t even begun to touch on the injuries, many of them serious or catastrophic. Extrapolations from information collected in a Bureau of Justice survey of 6,000 people suggested that around 500,000 people every year are “hit, held, pushed, choked, threatened with a flashlight, threatened or sprayed with pepper spray, threatened with a gun or other form of force” by police.

In addition to excessive force in the form of shootings, tasering, beatings, and choke holds that we often associate with police brutality are the many cases of sexual assault by police. No reliable figures are available, and much sexual assault goes unreported. However, the Cato Institute says that more than nine percent of incidents of police misconduct reported in 2010 were of sexual abuse, making it the second most frequently reported type of police misconduct, after excessive force.

Other common results of excessive force are, but not limited to:

As well seasoned police misconduct lawyers in the Bronx, we are here for you and we can help.

Who Are the Victims?

An extremely disproportionate number of the victims of police brutality in New York City are African-American. In 2012, black Americans made up only 28.6 percent of the population, but 87 percent of those killed by police. In contrast, non-Hispanic whites formed 33.3 percent of the population and only four percent of the deaths at the hands of police officers.

Another population vulnerable to brutality at the hands of the police is those with developmental and psychiatric disabilities. No figures are currently available, but a growing number of incidents have been reported in the media.

Get Help From Our Bronx Police Misconduct Attorneys

Dino Domina, a highly professional Bronx police misconduct lawyer is deeply committed to justice for those who have been physically or psychologically abused or harmed by the unwarranted or excessive actions of police officers. He has a 20-year record of successfully recovering compensation for clients who have suffered serious injuries, and the survivors of people wrongfully killed by another’s deliberate violence or negligence, including that perpetrated by members of law enforcement. He has been designated a New York Super Lawyer.

Contact a Bronx police misconduct lawyer at Domina Law today to arrange a time to tell us your story. There is never a charge for the consultation, and you only pay legal fees after you receive your recovery award. We are waiting for your call on 718.962.0600.