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72-Yr-Old Sues City After Stop & Frisk Prompts Hospital Visit
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Jun 4, 2012
Modified Jun 4, 2012
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By
Christopher Robbins
Published Jun 4, 2012
Modified Jun 4, 2012
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Another day of 1,900 people being stopped by police brings yet another million-dollar lawsuit against the city for police misconduct. Last April, 72-year-old Otto Kogen says he was exiting one of his rental properties at West 105th Street near Columbus Ave and walking to his car when three plainclothes officers slammed him against his Nissan. "I thought they were robbing me," Kogen told the Daily News. When he threatened to call the police, one of the officers allegedly flashed his badge and told him, "Fuck you, Russian—we are the police."
The officers found nothing on Kogan to charge him with, and left him shortly after stopping him, but Kogan developed chest pains and called 911. He spent the next two days in the hospital.
Police reports indicate that the officers identified themselves over a dozen times and that Kogan, a Latvian-born immigrant, was stopped because he appeared "disheveled and intoxicated." Hospital records show that there was no alcohol in Kogan's blood when he was admitted. "It's a lie," he says. "I don't drink."
Kogan, who lives with his wife in Jersey City and spends his time refurbishing antiques, is suing the city for $5 million. Initially he took his claims to the previously-toothless Civilian Complaint Review Board, where his account was dismissed and deemed "unsubstantiated" because there were no witnesses. Kogan's attorney filed the lawsuit in February.
“Please understand, I appreciate all police,” Kogen said. “(But) they’re not supposed to do this.” According to WNYC, in 2011 the city paid out $186.3 million in judgments against the NYPD, $50.5 million more than in 2010, and is projected to pay out $180.1 million in the next fiscal year.
Tagged
lawsuit
nypd
police misconduct
stop and frisk
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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