Named in 3 known lawsuits, $5,000 total settlements.
Summerlin, Aaron vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 715538/2022,
Supreme Court - Queens, July 28, 2022
Thomas, Shawn Randall vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 18CV03205,
U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, August 15, 2018, ended February 7, 2020
$5,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: On June 8, 2015, around 9:00pm, Mr. Shawn Randall Thomas was carrying a vape pen on a subway platform at Flatbush Avenue and Fulton Street in Brooklyn. He was approached by NYPD Officers who detained him and asked him to provide identification. Mr. Thomas refused to provide identification and told the officers that vaping is not a criminal offense. The officers knew that neither vaping nor refusing to produce identification were criminal offenses. Nonetheless, they arrested Mr. Thomas for violating smoking restrictions, obstructing justice, and disorderly conduct. In the course of the arrest, the officers twisted Mr. Thomas's arm and compressed his chest against a wall, causing injuries that required hospitaliz...
Thomas v. City of New York
Case # 18CV03205,
U.S. District Court - Southern District NY
Description: The plaintiff was approached at a subway platform by the defendants who detained him for carrying a personal vaporizer. The plaintiff declined to produce his personal identification. The individual defendants arrested Plaintiff at the said date and time on the charges for violating the Smoking Restrictions under the New York State Public Health Law, Obstructing Governmental Administration in the Second Degree, and for Disorderly Contact. The charges were dismissed on February 5, 2016.