Now that the names have been released of the two NYPD officers involved in the fatal shooting of 16-year-old Kimani Gray last Saturday night, reports have emerged that the two officers, and Officer Jovaniel Cordova, have racked up a substantial history of questionable and violent actions. The officers have been named in five federal lawsuits over the last several years that have cost the city a total of $215,000 in settlements.
Using court records, a story in the New York Daily News tracks other incidents involving Mourad and Cordova. Mourad was named in three suits while he was a plainclothes cop on Staten Island, while Cordova was named in two suits at Brooklyn’s 70th Precinct. The suits all charge them with various civil rights violations, including illegal stop and search, and false arrest.
Prosecutors had to dismiss all but one of the arrests against the six plaintiffs. The criminal cases were sealed.
The two officers have been placed on desk duty while the NYPD and the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office investigate the March 9 shooting in East Flatbush. Gray’s death has led to an outpouring of anger and frustration on the streets of Brooklyn, with protests and melees resulting in dozens of arrests.
Police say Gray was shot after he pointed a .38-caliber revolver at the plainclothes sergeant and cop, who approached him after he walked away from a group of friends standing on the street.
A woman who said she witnessed the shooting from her apartment window told the Daily News that Gray did not have a gun in his hand — but the woman previously told police internal affairs investigators that she couldn’t see what the kids were doing “from the angle I was at.”
The fifth day of protests last night in East Flatbush were relatively calm. City Councilman Jumaane Williams blamed earlier violent protests on people from outside the community, but yesterday he said he hoped “everybody is speaking with one voice.”
“I believe everybody fundamentally wants the same thing.” he said. “They want to see justice. They want to see an investigation we can believe in.”
Kimani’s mother, Carol Gray, on Thursday said she wanted the public to remember Kimani as a typical teen who liked girls, had pimples on his face and was sometimes early for curfew.
“I don’t condone any riots, any looting, any shooting, anything against any police officers,” she said. “Two police officers shot down Kimani, and I only want justice for two police officers to be off the street before they hurt another young kid.”
According to the Daily News report, the settlements involving Mourad and Cordova ranged from $20,000 to $92,500, with no admission of wrongdoing by the city.
“Our clients’ interactions with Sgt. Mourad and Officer Cordova expose a disturbing pattern of unconstitutional and aggressive stop-and-frisk practices,” lawyer Brett Klein, who filed four of the five suits, told the Daily News. “In each case, Mourad and Cordova attempted to cover up their misconduct by falsifying and fabricating evidence.”
Among the suits is the case of Derek Franks, who received a $92,500 settlement for a suit against Mourad and other unidentified cops, after he said he was illegally stopped and frisked on May 7, 2007. Franks had to spend four months in jail at Rikers Island until charges were dropped.
Andre Maraj and Dary Harville each received $22,500 settlements after alleging they were falsely arrested by Mourad and others, with Harville claiming he was “slammed” into a car.
Jontel Sebbern received $20,000 after his arrest after a car stop. He was ordered out of the car by Mourad and others. They frisked him and pulled his pants and underwear.
According to the complaint, Sebbern told the police officers, “You can take me to the precinct but you’re not going in my underwear here.”
Steve Morency received $35,000 after accusing Cordova of an illegal stop inside an E. 17th Street building. Morency claimed he was punched in the face, needing three stitches to close a cut above his eye.
Attorney Klein said Mourad racked up the suits when he was assigned to an aggressive anti-crime unit.
In addition, both Mourad and Cordova have each been involved in a previous shooting that was ruled to be within department guidelines.
“Being named in a lawsuit is not an indication of wrongdoing, and neither is settlement,” said city Law Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Thomas. “Many factors, not the least of which is the inherent risk of jury trial, contribute to the decision to settle a case.”
