The city of Syracuse is facing a wrongful death/police negligence case in the aftermath of the February death of a woman shot and killed by police officers. The claim – filed on April 18 – has been brought forth by the surviving members of the woman’s family.
The victim was shot and killed by police after they say she displayed a sawed-off shotgun when they responded to a complaint of drug-dealing.
In addition to wrongful death, the family is claiming negligent hiring, training and retaining, negligent entrustment, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress. They also claim that—while a hospital was close by – the victim was taken to one further away, resulting in her bleeding to death.
The claim of intentionally inflicting emotional distress was the result of officers dragging the victim face down through a snow-covered street after she has been shot multiple times.
Causes for Police Negligence
We’ve talked before about police negligence and its causes. Here, we’re going to delve a bit deeper into the most common causes.
- Consequences are Minimal
In a report from 2014, it was revealed that in New Jersey, 99% of police brutality claims were never investigated. Nationwide, just one out of every three accused officers are convicted. - Minorities are Targeted
A study by the New York Civil Liberties Union found that black and Latino communities are the primary target of stop-and-frisk incidents. In 2015, of the 22,939 times people were stopped, 54% were black and 29% were Latino. - No Financial Burden Placed on Officers
According to research from Human Rights Watch, any settlements awarded to victims from police officers are taken care of by we the taxpayers. - Militarization of Police
Many law enforcement agencies are now equipped with enough firepower and equipment to conquer a country. In fact, in the last two decades, the use of highly armed SWAT teams has increased by 1,500%. Combine that with an ever increasing “us vs. them” attitude being cultivated among our officers, and you’ve got a recipe for trouble.
The Fitzgerald Law Firm Can Help Victims of Police Negligence
If you feel that you’ve been the victim of police negligence, we want you to know that you have legal options available to you. Contact The Fitzgerald Law Firm today – 800-323-9900 – so that we can schedule a free initial consultation.