Named in 11 known lawsuits, $293,028 total settlements.
Carr, Dainty, et al. vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 503091/2015,
Supreme Court - Kings, March 19, 2015, ended May 24, 2016
$42,500 Settlement
Cora, Michael vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 14CV02454,
U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, April 21, 2014, ended October 28, 2014
$16,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: Officers accused Plaintiff of matching the description of a gun suspect, threw him against a fence and searched him; upon finding a bottle of pills with a matching description they discarded the prescription and threatened him with jail. Cowan fastened handcuffs too tightly around Plaintiff's wrists, causing pain and numbness. At the precinct, Plaintiff was strip-searched and made to squat and cough. He was falsely charged with drug possession, which was later dismissed.
Birko, Kristof vs P.O. Cohen, Jason, et al.
Case # 13CV06631,
U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, December 17, 2013, ended October 6, 2014
$40,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: Officers broke into Plaintiffs home, waking him up, looking for a suspect and then arrested Plaintiff saying that he attempted to hide the suspect. Charged with 220.03 and received an ACD.
Bradshaw, Terri, et al. vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 13CV02991,
U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, June 5, 2013, ended October 7, 2013
$15,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: Officers broke one Plaintiff's door and entered with their guns drawn while that Plaintiff was inside with her baby. They violently detained another Plaintiff without cause, arrested him, and falsely charged him with drug possession. At the precinct the officers performed strip and body cavity searches of this Plaintiff in the view of others. (This is part of the same raid/incident as in Lewis v. City of New York et al")
Armstrong v. City of New York et al
Case # 11CV04051,
U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY
$38,000 Settlement
Amended Complaint
Description: Cowan and two other officers approached Plaintiff, a black senior citizen, while he was playing dominoes. They illegally searched him and his apartment, refused to allow him to get his heart medications before arresting him, drove him around for hours, and denied him medical treatment. He was finally released without charges. Plaintiff suffered similar and repeated harassment from the police during 2010 and 2011.
Bond v. The City of New York et al
Case # 11CV04675,
U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY
$17,000 Settlement
Amended Complaint
Description: Cowan and two other cops descended on Plaintiff as he left a C-Town grocery store. They illegally searched him, took his house keys, and detained him while police went into his house and searched it without his permission or a warrant. He was arrested and driven around for hours before being taken to the precinct and released without charges. Plaintiff was targeted and harassed in similar ways on multiple occasions during 2010 and 2011 and was falsely charged.
Hayes v. City of New York et al.
Case # 11CV04676,
U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY
Settlement
Amended Complaint
Description: On June 13th, 2011 at 5:30 PM at 1782 Broadway, defendant officers approached plaintiff and friends who were playing dominoes outside of aforementioned address. 12 plain clothes defendant officers approached plaintiff and arrested plaintiff along with two other individuals. Defendant officers searched plaintiff, placed plaintiff in handcuffs and transported plaintiff to the 73rd precinct. Plaintiff was accused of selling Viagra to an undercover cop. On April 2011, two plain clothes officers approached plaintiff on street and performed a full-body search and transported him to the 73rd precinct. Plaintiff was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance. Outcomes are unknown.
Lewis v. City of New York et al
Case # 12CV01323,
U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY
$20,000 Settlement
Amended Complaint
Description: Cowan and other officers ambushed Plaintiff on the street. They illegally searched him including a strip search and body cavity search in public view. They punched and kicked and hit him with their weapons, then transported him to the 73rd Precinct before eventually releasing him without charges.
Askew v. Echevarria et al
Case # 12CV04773,
U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY
$10,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: Unknown officers emerged from an unmarked van and illegally searched and detained Plaintiff for no reason. The officers refused to give their badge numbers and threatened Plaintiff with jail in response to these inquiries.
O'Hagan v. City of New York et al
Case # 09CV05597,
U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY
$75,000 Settlement
Amended Complaint
Description: Officers arrested Plaintiff in the deli where he was working without reason, fastened handcuffs on him too tightly, drove him around for hours, and filed false charges that were later adjourned in contemplation of dismissal.
Greene v. The City of New York et al
Case # 12CV06427,
U.S. District Court - Southern District NY
$19,528 Settlement
First Amended Complaint,
Judgment