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Lawsuit Filed Against NYPD Alleging Traumatic Raid of East New York Family's Apartment

Officers acting on a no-knock warrant inflicted severe damage on the family's home despite no charges ever being filed
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A lawsuit filed in Brooklyn Federal Court alleges that members of the NYPD's 75th precinct raided an East New York family's home, handcuffed the husband and pointed weapons at the wife and children, reported the NY Daily News.

The door of James and Serina Patterson's apartment was busted down at 7:00am on May 23, 2019, by NYPD officers acting on a no-knock warrant. James, who works as a hotel attendant, claims that they were looking for drugs and guns but had the wrong person.

According to the suit, he was taken outside and put in the back of a squad car while the apartment was being turned over by the remaining cops. "My whole block seen what happened. Everybody was outside," said the 37-year-old James, "It was very uncomfortable, and scared my daughter and wife. It made me look like a bad person."

After being brought to the 75th precinct, Patterson watched the officers receive a phone call and promptly return him to his home without filing any charges. One officer told him "'We're sorry for the mishap. You can call 311 to get the things fixed,'" he claims.

Among the damage was broken dressers and bed, clothes everywhere, cereal boxes torn apart, and broken hinges on the apartment's door. Most importantly, they say, the incident left a traumatized family. "They destroyed everything," says Serina.

News of the lawsuit comes just days after a report by The Intercept was released alleging widespread misconduct at the 75th precinct. In regards to this incident, the NYPD has nothing on file.




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