What to Know
- New York City has reached a settlement of about $1.5 million with a man who accused police detectives of harassment and assault
- Karim Baker said two detectives harassed him after he unwittingly gave street directions to a suspect who later killed two cops in 2014
- The detectives were acquitted of assault and the NYPD declined to comment
New York City has reached a settlement of about $1.5 million with a man who accused police detectives of harassment and assault.
Karim Baker unwittingly gave street directions to Ismaaiyl Brinsley before the suspect killed Officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos in December 2014.
The suspect killed himself but police wanted to make sure he had acted on his own. Baker says he was harassed during that investigation.
Two detectives allegedly dragged Baker out of his parked car and repeatedly punched and kicked him, according to a five-count indictment detailing the charges, including second- and third-degree assault for both the officers.
"Month after month," the postal worker said of the harassment, while describing the encounters to NBC New York.
The detectives were acquitted of assault.
Local
The Law Department says the settlement is "in the city's best interests."
The head of the Detectives' Endowment Association, Michael Palladino, says the settlement is an "absurd amount of money."
The New York Daily News reports the union covered the $4,500 the detectives were personally responsible for in the settlement.
The NYPD declined to comment.
