Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Brooklyn DA's Office Throws Out Mourners' Arrests
By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 29, 2008
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 29, 2008
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
After a public scrutiny over police procedure when dozens of youths were arrested on their way to a gang members' wake, the Brooklyn DA's office has decided to drop the charges of 22 of the arrestees. Ten others will face charges.
Last May, a number of young people were headed to the wake of 17-year-old Donnell McFarland, who police say headed the "Pretty Boy Family, a subdivision of the Bloods gang." The mourners wore t-shirts with McFarland's picture and name, and police arrested the group on the grounds of "public safety" (which the Times explains as "blocking traffic, climbing on cars, wearing T-shirts and flashing signs in homage to their friend’s status as a gang leader"). The police had said a community board warned them about a "faction of the gang" going to the funeral.
However, the arrestees say they were just going to their friend's funeral and didn't understand why they were being apprehended; some added that the police approached them with their guns drawn. The youths were eventually charged with unlawful assembly and disorderly conduct, but the Brooklyn DA's office said yesterday no witnesses could link some of the defendants to the unlawful assembly charge.
Lawyer Ron Kuby said the charges should have been dropped long ago and accused Brooklyn DA Hynes of vilifying the young people. He added, “If the police receive information that a funeral procession is going to be attacked, you don’t arrest the mourners. They would never treat white youth on the Upper East Side in such a fashion.”
Tagged
arrests
bloods
brooklyn
brooklyn da
bushwick
charges dropped
charles hynes
east side
funeral
Last May
nypd
Pretty Boy Division
ron kuby
The Police
Upper East
upper east side
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Mamdani allies Valdez, Avila Chevalier win House seats for New York
Their victories signaled the popularity of Mamdani’s brand of politics.
By
Jon Campbell
Published Nov 3, 2026 at 9:13 p.m. ET
Kathy Hochul re-elected New York governor, defeats Bruce Blakeman
The Democratic governor easily won a second full term.
By
Jon Campbell
News
Kathy Hochul re-elected New York governor, defeats Bruce Blakeman
The Democratic governor easily won a second full term.
By
Jon Campbell
Voting machine snafu may delay results in NY House race between Lawler, Conley
By
Karen Yi
and
Jon Campbell
Remote learning day for NYC schools means remote chance of learning, parents say
By
Jessica Gould
MTA posts record riders over Halloween, marathon week
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .