Named in 8 known lawsuits, $114,500 total settlements.
Carmona, Jamell vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 20CV04040,
U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, September 2, 2020, ended July 20, 2021
$7,500 Settlement
Complaint
Description: On April 11, 2018, Plaintiff was stopped without a reasonable basis while driving his vehicle by Defendants Officers Richard D. Browne and Frank Muzikar. They were in an unmarked car and in plain clothes and observed him while entering and exiting a Bail Bonds facility. They subjected him to a strip-intrusive roadside search, searched his vehicle without a basis, and falsely claimed to have found "weed" in his vehicle. They told him he was not under arrest but handcuffed him and took him to the 120th precinct.
At the precinct, Plaintiff was subjected to another strip-intrusive search by Browne and Muzikar with the approval and authorization of Defendants Sergeant Michael DiCecco and/or Lieutenant Matthew Harri...
Alicea, Lizzie vs Detective Spinelli, Steve, et al.
Case # 153005/2018,
Supreme Court - Richmond, March 4, 2019, ended August 4, 2023
Administrative Closing
Complaint
Description: On October 29, 2015, at approximately 8:00 a.m., the defendant police officers STEVE SPINELLI, MATTHEW EDELMAN, IGNAZIO CONCA, MICHAEL ZAK, and FRANK MUZIKAR allegedly executed a search warrant inside of plaintiff’s mother’s apartment. At approximately 11:30 a.m., plaintiff went to her mother’s house with the intention of visiting her mother and upon her arrival, plaintiff saw police officers and saw her mother standing outside of the building crying. Despite being aware of the fact that plaintiff did not reside with her mother and despite not being physically present when the defendant police officers executed the search warrant, the defendant police unlawfully handcuffed plaintiff and arrested her without pro...
Smith, Kenneth, et al. vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 15CV05030,
U.S. District Court - Southern District NY, June 30, 2015, ended June 1, 2016
$2,500 Settlement
Complaint
Description: On January 23, 2015, Plaintiffs Kenneth Smith and Rylawn Walker, African American men, were behaving lawfully and not acting in a suspicious manner when they were approached, accosted, falsely arrested, and falsely imprisoned by the Defendant NYPD Officers. Each Plaintiff was imprisoned approximately 24 hours after his unlawful arrest and compelled to make numerous court appearances until June 11, 2015, when the criminal charges were dismissed. While the Plaintiffs were being held, Defendant NYPD Officer Robert Woodhouse, with the acquiescence of the other defendants, misrepresented facts in the police reports and other documents to falsely state the Plaintiffs had committed offenses including possessing mari...
Hilliman, Evon & Tucker, Nicholas vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 501781/2015,
Supreme Court - Kings, February 23, 2015, ended June 26, 2015
$25,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: On or about June 30, 2012 at approximately 2:30 AM, POs Muzikar and John Doe #1-3 pulled over a vehicle driven by the Plaintiffs' friend, and in which the Plaintiffs were passengers of. The POs instructed the Plaintiffs, the driver, and two other passengers to step out of the vehicle, at which point the car was searched without probable cause. As a result of the search, the POs found a small amount of marijuana, and the driver admitted that it was his. Despite this, the POs arrested everyone in the car, including the Plaintiffs, and transported them to the 71st precinct.
At the precinct, the Plaintiffs were searched but nothing unlawful was found on their persons. They were then transported to "Central Booking...
Smith, Michael, et al. vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 14CV03582,
U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, June 24, 2014, ended January 9, 2015
$41,500 Settlement
Complaint,
Stipulation
Description: On July 2, 2013, plaintiffs were in a car driving in Brooklyn when defendant police officers pulled over the vehicle. Plaintiffs were ordered out of the car after providing identification, and the officers searched the vehicle without consent, probable cause to believe criminal activity was occurring, or any other valid legal basis to search. Defendants recovered a small folding knife from the glove compartment of the vehicle and placed plaintiffs under arrest and brought them to a precinct, where they were charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 4th Degree. The charges were based on false allegations from defendants of the nature of the knife in question, which was in fact not prohibited by New Yor...
Prater, Jesse vs Police Officer Breiner, Gerald, et al.
Case # 13CV06841,
U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, December 5, 2013, ended April 28, 2014
$18,000 Settlement
Complaint,
Stipulation
Braxton, Keith vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 13CV05516,
U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, November 1, 2013, ended August 27, 2014
$20,000 Settlement
Amended Complaint,
Complaint
Description: On July 6, 2012, Plaintiff was lawfully inside a commercial business building when several NYPD Officers including Officers Terrell Anderson, Forrest Hirsch, Jason Filoramo, Frank Muzikar, Peter McCarthy, Joseph Fichter, and Michael Espinosa entered the building and searched its locked basement and found contraband. Plaintiff was not the owner of the business and did not possess a key to the basement, but was nonetheless arrested by Officer Anderson. Officer Hirsch prepared paperwork in support of false charges against Plaintiff and conveyed such information to the District Attorney's Office. Plaintiff was eventually released after approximately 17 hours in custody and was not charged with any crimes.
Smith et al v. The City Of New York , et al
Case # 16CV00845,
U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY
Amended Complaint,
Original Complaint
Description: Plaintiffs were approached and arrested by defendant officers, taken into custody, and charged with 220.03 and 221.05. Charges were later dismissed.