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Allegedly Racist Staten Island Cop Accused Of Ruining Baseball Prospect's Life
By
Ben Yakas
Published Oct 19, 2011
Modified Oct 19, 2011
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Oct 19, 2011
Modified Oct 19, 2011
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Earlier this week, an eight year NYPD veteran was arrested and charged with civil rights violations in connection with a stop-and-frisk arrest on Staten Island. Officer Michael Daragjati, who is also accused of being involved in separate off-duty extortion and insurance fraud schemes, was charged Monday with falsely arresting a black man, then later allegedly using a racial slur while talking about the arrest on the phone. And now, another Staten Island man has come forward alleging that Daragjati ruined his life and his burgeoning baseball career by falsely arresting him: "I feel he [Daragjati] racially profiled me," Jared Williams told the Daily News.
Williams crossed paths with Daragjati in October 2005, when he was a star center fielder for Wagner College with major league-aspirations. Williams and two friends were busted outside an SI bar for an assault which he claims he had nothing to do with: "I feel we were the first black people he saw and we got pulled over." Williams fought the charge, and a judge eventually tossed out the case a year later, but the damage was done: Williams had been kicked off his team for his senior year because of the court case, and he was disqualified from the baseball draft for not playing that year.
"I'm a Christian, so I'm forgiving, but I believe he [Daragjati] should be punished for his actions," Williams, who now teaches fourth- and fifth-grade special education students, said. "It breaks my heart that someone who took an oath to protect and serve is doing this." The Post adds that Daragjati was sued again in July by 33-year-old Theodore Shearin—Daragjati arrested him on “baseless” trespassing charges that were also eventually dropped by a judge.
The NYTimes touched upon Daragjati's alleged crimes in an editorial today in which they recommend that Justice Department officials and state lawmakers use this opportunity to probe the NYPD for other false racially-based arrests: "We need to know whether bogus charges of resisting arrest are widespread."
Tagged
cops
Michael Daragjati
n-word
nypd
nypd corruption
police
racism
staten island
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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