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NYC Pays $33K Settlement After Cops Confuse Jolly Ranchers For Crystal Meth
By
Max Rivlin-Nadler
Published Sep 4, 2014
Modified Sep 4, 2014
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By
Max Rivlin-Nadler
Published Sep 4, 2014
Modified Sep 4, 2014
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The NYPD sure knows how to spend our money. On the same day a lawsuit alleged NYPD wrongdoing in arresting a human rights lawyer for standing on the sidewalk, the city has reached a settlement in the case of three men who were arrested on suspicion of selling crystal meth. The meth, however, turned out to be Jolly Ranchers.
“To my knowledge there is no evidence in the scientific literature that crystal meth looks like Jolly Ranchers or rock candy, other than from the 'Breaking Bad' show,” the plaintiffs' lawyer Kenneth Smith told The Daily News.
Love Olatunjiojo, Omar Ferriera and Jimmy Santos were arrested last year in Coney Island. The cops, in their defense, said they had no way of knowing whether the meth was meth or was actually just candy, but that they had been tipped off by an undercover officer that the two men had been selling drugs. Olatunjiojo and Ferriera were arrested as they exited the It’Sugar candy shop, their pockets full of Jolly Ranchers.
The three men were held for twenty-four hours before they were released, and the NYPD officers insist a field test for the Jolly Ranchers showed that it was a controlled substance. Controlled for maximum sweetness (or sourness, depending on the flavor). But the NYPD lab results determined it was, in fact, just candy.
Lawsuits against the city stemming from police misconduct are at all-time highs, costing the city over $100 million so far this year.
Tagged
crystal meth
Jolly Ranchers
NYPD misconduct
NYPD settlements
Max Rivlin-Nadler
Max Rivlin-Nadler has been a contributor to Gothamist since 2013. He has also reported for the New York Times, NPR, and The Intercept. His years-long investigation into New York City's arcane civil forfeiture laws led to a series of reforms which altered a practice that had been taking millions from poor communities for decades. Recently, he brought back a surfing habit from a few years on the west coast, and would love to see you all out in the Rockaways.
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