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In Brooklyn, New York, a man is suing the city, the NYPD, and two undercover detectives for $100 million after a violent incident earlier this month. On April 14, Timothy Brown was beaten by officers in a liquor store in Boerum Hill, mistaking him for a drug suspect. The encounter was captured on video, showing Brown being punched, kneed, and dragged through broken glass.
Brown, a 46-year-old home health aide, appeared at a news conference on Tuesday with his arm in a sling and using a cane. He expressed that he is physically and emotionally scarred by the incident, stating, "What happened to me should never happen to anyone else." According to his lawyer, Derek Sellers, the officers used "excessive force" and failed to identify themselves or use body cameras.
The officers involved, identified as Det. Volkan Maden and Det. Michael Algerio, have been stripped of their guns and badges while the NYPD's Internal Affairs Bureau investigates. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch have condemned the officers' actions, with the narcotics unit involved being disbanded as part of a 90-day review.
Brown's legal team seeks not only financial compensation but also broader institutional changes to prevent similar incidents in the future. Brown's mother expressed disappointment that city officials have not reached out to them following the incident.
The charges against Brown for resisting arrest have been dropped. The City Law Department has not yet commented on the lawsuit.
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