Complaint #200802670,
January 1, 2008

Summary

January 1, 2008, at 3:48 AM, [redacted] was arrested by an officer identified through investigation as PO Majid Ghaffar of the 66th Precinct. [redacted] was arrested in front of [redacted] in Brooklyn for [redacted]. He was transported to the 61st Precinct and placed in a holding cell at 3:50 AM. While in the holding cell, [redacted] told an officer, identified through investigation as Lt. Timothy Harrington of the 61st Precinct, that he was having difficulty breathing, experiencing chest pain and wished to go to the hospital. In reply, Lt. Harrington told him he could not go to the hospital (Allegation A). [redacted] continued to converse with Lt. Harrington. [redacted] alleged that Lt. Harrington and two additional officers, identified through the investigation as Sgt. Antero Alvarado and PO Michael McGovern of the 61st Precinct, directed profanity towards him during this time (Allegation B, C and D). [redacted] told the officers to bring him to the hospital and attempted to hang himself by tying his tee-shirt to the bars of the entrance to the holding cell. [redacted] alleged that Lt. Harrington retrieved a taser. [redacted] alleged that Lt. Harrington handed to PO McGovern with instructions to shoot [redacted]. According to [redacted] PO McGovern shot him with the taser. However, the investigation determined that Lt. Harrington shot [redacted] with the taser (Allegation E). Lt. Harrington, Sgt. Alvarado and PO McGovern entered the holding cell. [redacted] alleged that the officers used physical force to restrain him and, in the process, an officer stepped on his right hand (Allegation F, G and H). An ambulance arrived at the 61st Precinct and [redacted] was transported to [redacted] as an emotionally disturbed person. At [redacted], the darts from the taser were removed from his stomach, the fourth digit of [redacted]'s hand was found to be fractured and he was psychiatrically evaluated.
[redacted] Read report for details.