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The Schlitt Law Firm Announces Settlement for False Arrest in Brooklyn

The New York City Police arrested a Brooklyn boutique owner based on the false and scurrilous claims of an ex-employee. In fact, the Police had already determined that the ex-employee had been lying, but they arrested the boutique owner anyway. The arrested woman reached out to Carol L. Schlitt and the Schlitt Law Firm to obtain justice for her and to gain compensation for her false arrest. We have reached a settlement with the City of New York on this false arrest in Brooklyn, bringing justice for our client.

The Facts of this False Arrest in Brooklyn

A Brooklyn shopkeeper had dismissed an employee caught on a security camera stealing merchandise and giving it to her friends. The employee retaliated in many ways, including filing a false report with the New York City Police.

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The ex-employee’s first accusation was that the storekeeper had failed to pay her wages. This matter was resolved when the boutique owner brought pay stub records to small claims court, proving that storekeeper had paid the employee her wages. That civil case was dismissed in March 2013.

The next incident occurred after the storekeeper had returned to Brooklyn after travelling to Trinidad. The ex-employee made the same complaints about not receiving her wages. On a Saturday, five officers came to her store while it was filled with customers. The officers told the boutique owner that the ex-employee had accused her of coming to her house 27 times in the past month waving a gun at her. The storekeeper told them she had just come back from Trinidad the previous day and she showed them her boarding pass and passport to prove it. The officers went outside, made a phone call, and came back and apologized because they knew that ex-employee was lying. 

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On April 9, 2013 at approximately 9:30 a.m., the storekeeper was tending the shop by herself when two police officers entered her store. They were both in plain clothes but they had their badges hanging from their necks or on their belts. They told the storekeeper that they needed to question her about claims made by the ex-employee. The storekeeper explained that these charges had been resolved on a previous date, but the police officers refused to listen or conduct even a cursory investigation. The police arrested her.

Unlawful Detention in this False Arrest in Brooklyn

The police took our client to the 70th precinct in Brooklyn. She was bound in handcuffs, photographed and fingerprinted. She was placed into a cell with one other prisoner for approximately two and a half hours. She described the cell as very dirty with a toilet out in the open. She was there for some period of time, and said that she was scared and needed to use the bathroom but did not want to use the bathroom out in the open.

She was told that she was being brought to Central Booking. She was taken out of the cell, handcuffed, and led into a van to be transported to Central Booking.

The storekeeper was placed into a cell for a short while when she arrived at Central Booking. She was searched by a female officer. She expressed embarrassment at having to go up in front of the judge and in front of the court audience when her clothes were so dirty. The judge deemed that our client had no reason to be detained and was given an adjournment date.

In the months that followed, the storekeeper appeared in court five times. At the last appearance in September 2013, our client agreed to accept an Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal (ACD).

Negotiating a Settlement in this False Arrest in Brooklyn

We promise to move our clients’ cases as fast as possible. In wrongful arrest cases, we work with the client’s criminal attorney and gather all the evidence we can about the circumstances of the arrest. If charges were filed, then we need to obtain a copy of the criminal complaint and the certificate of disposition.

In this case, we worked with our client to understand all of these issues that led to the arrest and the damages that she suffered because of the arrest. We prepared a Case Assessment that we reviewed with our client.   We then sent a Settlement Proposal to the City of New York. The Settlement Proposal Package included a review of the facts of the case, our theory of liability and an assessment of the damages. We included all the necessary documents that the City’s adjuster needed to evaluate the case. In this case, we negotiated a settlement in five weeks. While we can never make a guarantee about any particular case, in this and in many past cases, our approach has achieved rapid settlements with good values for our clients.

Getting Help for a False Arrest in Brooklyn

If you have been arrested and you believe it was wrongful and the charges were dropped because the Police dropped the case or the District Attorney said there was no basis of a charge or an arrest, you may have the grounds for a false arrest case. Your case must have been dismissed without reservation.

We would be glad to help you. We have settled many wrongful arrest cases with the City of New York. We would be glad to answer your questions and assist you. The consultation on is always free. You can call us at 1-800-660-1466 or email us at contact@schlittlaw.com.   

The Schlitt Law Firm

New York Personal Injury Attorney
718-220-0099
Contact@SchlittLaw.com

 

This material is intended for informational uses only. It is not meant as legal advice. To receive legal advice, you should consult an attorney. Remember, past results do not guarantee similar outcomes in the future.

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