Friday The New York Daily News obtained a video of a Staten Island man receiving a very ugly beating from four New York City Police Officers.
The victim, Louis Falcone, 31 says four officers beat him while shouting homophobic slurs, calling him a “fag”and a “faggot.”
“While I was on the ground, I had mud and blood in my mouth,” he said. “One (of the cops) said, ‘Don’t let it get on you, he probably has AIDS, the faggot.’”
New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio is quoted as saying:
"It deeply concerns me to hear any report of prejudice or bias by any public official -- obviously -- especially by a police officer. We take this very, very seriously." Despite a fairly high level of visibility to the story, there is a lack of transparency to how this is being handled by the NYPD. Initial stories made no reference to any internal investigation.According to Staten Island Live, The NYPD "would not say if the officers were receiving disciplinary action or identify those who were involved in the incident, which took place in the 122nd precinct." The department says New York City's Civilian Complaint Review Board is reviewing the incident.
Apparently, we are left to assume these four men are still patrolling Staten Island with guns and badges as though nothing has happened.
There are of course claims of belligerence. Which really doesn't explain why they needed beat, and kick him on the ground. At no point does it appear in the video that the officers in question are having a hard time subduing Falcone, should they wish to detain him. On detention, the question is for what? They were called on a noise complaint that by all accounts was no longer valid at the time of the police arrival. It doesn't seem there was any cause to drag him out of his home and beat him.
It's unclear from news reports how Falcone got to the hospital, where he was treated for a broken nose, two black eyes, cuts to his face and body. Falcone recently had foot surgery and was wearing a boot. He alleges this tempted officers to stomp on his foot requiring still more more foot surgery to repair.
Inquiries to the NYPD when unanswered so I reached out to New York City Public Advocate Letitia James' office to see they had any information. I was forwarded this quote from Ms. James:
"I am shocked by the alleged mistreatment and misconduct against Luis Falcone, a gay man from Staten Island. There's simply no place in our country, let alone New York City, for this type of behavior." Falcone's lawyer lawyer Eric Subin has now filed a 25 million dollar lawsuit in federal court for civil rights violations. “How can you do that - four people on one skinny, scrawny little guy? They're criminals; they belong behind bars.” Louis Falcone's injuries, courtesy of Louis Falcone.MoveOn petition here asking NYPD to suspend these officers pending investigation.