Joseph T. Zerella

Lawsuits

Named in 4 known lawsuits, $80,000 total settlements.

Cadet, Maurin vs City of Ny, et al.
Case # 518852/2022, Supreme Court - Kings, July 5, 2022, ended February 26, 2025
$30,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: On January 1, 2021, at approximately 3:00 a.m., Plaintiff Maurin Cadet was present in the vicinity of 796 Putnam Avenue in Kings County, when Defendant NYPD Police Officers unlawfully assaulted Plaintiff. Defendant Officer, whose identity is not known, approached Plaintiff and without warning or reason, punched Plaintiff in the face. Defendant Officers threw Plaintiff onto the ground, handcuffed him, brought him to a police vehicle and transported him to the 75th Precinct. Plaintiff requested medical attention but was denied, and spent approximately 24 hours in custody at Central Booking. Defendant Police Officers provided the Kings County District Attorney's Office with false, misleading or incomplete informat...

Chowdhury, Shaiful vs City of Ny, et al.
Case # 21CV00962, U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, March 23, 2021, ended January 5, 2026
Zero Disposition
Complaint
Description: On February 23, 2020, Plaintiff Shaiful Chowdhury called the police in response to a robbery in an apartment complex he owned. Defendants Pliwiak, Zerella, Santana, Tasevoli, Mastorardi, Calhoun, Elliot, McSherry, Lt. Cain, and John Does #1-5 conducted a search and investigated in response to the robbery. Throughout the search, Defendants found a quantity of Marijuana in the third-floor apartment. Plaintiff was the owner of the property, but the Marijuana was discovered in an apartment that had recently been rented and occupied by an unrelated tenant. Despite Plaintiff's limited access to the apartment, defendants, including but not limited to Detectives Santana, Tasevoli, and Mastorardi, made flagrantly racist...

Blake-Mathews, Jordan K., vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 524739/2020, Supreme Court - Kings, December 22, 2020, ended January 14, 2025
$50,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: On January 22, 2020, Plaintiff was lawfully present when he was approached by officer Joseph Zerella and certain unnamed officers. The officers tackled him to the ground, jumped on him, beat him, pushed him into the pavement, and forcefully handcuffed him. Plaintiff was taken to the 7th Precinct, and later the hospital due to his injuries.

D., J. By M/n/g Lawson, Tamara vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 511416/2020, Supreme Court - Kings, July 2, 2020
Complaint
Description: On April 15, 2018, at or around 8:00 a.m., the minor PLAINTIFF was lawfully within the vicinity of 516 Bristol Street. PLAINTIFF was in the residence with his grandmother and his brother. Defendants, Including EISERT and DOEs, unlawfully entered and searched the residence including PLAINTIFF’S room. Defendants recovered no contraband from PLAINTIFF or the residence. Defendants had no probable cause to believe that PLAINTIFF had committed any crimes or offenses, defendants placed PLAINTIFF into handcuffs and under arrest. PLAINTIFF was subsequently transported to the police precinct where he was interrogated, photographed, and fingerprinted. Defendants sent false allegations to the Kings County Family Court Pro...