{"active":false,"first_name":"Richard","last_name":"Mezzatesta","race":"White","gender":"Male","rank":"SGT SA","command":{"command":"POL ACD","assignment_date":"2021-09-24","id":"310"},"shield_no":3513,"ended_date":"2025-04-01","taxid":"930735","complaint_ids":[201710093,201701944,201306254,201214377],"command_history":[{"command":"081 PCT","id":"81pct"},{"command":"GANG QS"}],"appt_date":"2002-07-01","age":45,"middle_initial":"A","shield_no_history":[21099],"lawsuits":[{"name":"Capellan, Sandra, et al. vs City of New York, et al.","start_date":"2020-02-25","disposition_date":"2022-05-09","payout_amount":100000,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"20CV00867","court":"U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY","officer_name":"Mezzatesta, Richard","summary":"On August 29, 2019, approximately 10 police officers, all in plain clothes, broke through the front door of one of the plaintiff's 3-story home, without first knocking, with their firearms drawn and pointed at plaintiffs.  All of the plaintiffs were naked or semi-naked, partially undressed or in nightclothes, and most were asleep at the time of the break-in.  One plaintiff was kept on the floor and an officer had a knee on his back, and the officers forced all the other plaintiffs to the ground floor of the house.  Plaintiffs were all handcuffed except for one elderly woman.  No arrests were made, and the officers admitted to plaintiffs that the target of the raid was not any of the occupants of the house bur rather a different individual, who did not reside at the house the officers were raiding.  Not a single illegal act had taken place at the house, and none of the plaintiffs had committed any criminal activity to justify the raid.","documents":[{"url":"https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nyed.445234/gov.uscourts.nyed.445234.33.0.pdf","type":"complaint"}],"url":"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/16858473/capellan-v-the-city-of-new-york/"},{"name":"Ford, Robert vs City of New York, et al.","start_date":"2016-05-09","disposition_date":"2017-03-22","payout_amount":2501,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"16CV02046","court":"U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY","officer_name":"Mezzatesta, Richard","summary":"Plaintiff was at his girlfriend's apartment when Defendant Officers rushed in, struck plaintiff in the head with a shield, dragged him to the living room, and handcuffed him. The Defendant Officers searched the home for hours looking for guns but did not recover any. They strip searched Plaintiff in his bathroom and then arrested him and took him to the precinct.  Plaintiff was charged with a knife recovered from the kitchen drawer in the apartment, small bag of marijuana found inside the couch, and violating an order of protection that had ever existed. A grand jury voted to dismiss all the charges","documents":[{"url":"https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nyed.384556.11.0.pdf","type":"complaint"},{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4922555-Ford-v-City-of-New-York-et-al"}],"url":"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4325443/ford-v-city-of-new-york/"},{"officer_name":"Mezzatesta, Richard","disposition":"Settlement","start_date":"2012-08-29","disposition_date":"2013-10-29","court":"U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY","docket":"12CV02410","name":"Holley, Anthony, et Al vs City of New York, et al.","payout_amount":51000,"documents":[{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4927886-Holley-v-City-of-New-York-et-al"},{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4927890-Holley-v-City-of-New-York-et-al"}],"url":"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/6144488/holley-v-city-of-new-york/"},{"officer_name":"Mezzatesta, Richard","disposition":"Administrative Closing","start_date":"2008-10-23","disposition_date":"2013-10-31","court":"Supreme Court - Queens","docket":"024307/2008","name":"Vitali, Fabio vs City of New York, et al.","payout_amount":0}],"image":"https://www.50-a.org/images/officer/JEGH-richard-mezzatesta.jpg","id":"JEGH","url":"https://www.50-a.org/officer/JEGH"}