The City of New York has agreed to pay $750,000 to settle an excessive force lawsuit brought by ECBAWM and the Legal Aid Society’s Prisoners’ Rights Project for the assault and beating of Michael Cruz. In June 2014, multiple officers beat Mr. Cruz so badly that they broke his rib, which eventually pierced his spleen and led to massive internal bleeding. The assault and resulting injuries were life-threatening. Mr. Cruz, who was only 20 years old at the time, was forced to undergo emergency surgery to remove his spleen.

ECBAWM attorneys Jonathan Abady, Ali Frick, and Sam Shapiro represented Mr. Cruz together with Jonathan S. Chasan and Mary Lynne Werlwas of the Legal Aid Society.