A New York resident has filed a lawsuit alleging violations of his civil rights by the city's police department. Michael Trahan initiated the complaint on Dec. 26, 2024, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York against the City of New York and unnamed police officers identified as John and Jane Doe 1 through 10.
The lawsuit accuses these parties of false arrest, malicious prosecution, and other misconduct.
According to court documents, Trahan's ordeal began on Sept. 11, 2022, when he was arrested at Queens County Criminal Court by NYPD officers.
At the time, Trahan was mandated to reside in a residential drug treatment program due to an ongoing criminal matter. Despite providing evidence that he could not have been involved in a burglary captured on surveillance video — including his physical appearance not matching the suspect and an alibi supported by sign-out sheets from his treatment facility — Trahan was detained.
He informed Detective John Doe 1 that he resided at Samaritan Village in the Bronx and had participated in a supervised softball game during the alleged crime. However, these claims were ignored, leading to his wrongful arrest and subsequent imprisonment at Rikers Island until Dec. 1, 2022.
The complaint alleges that NYPD officers proceeded with charges against Trahan without probable cause and withheld exculpatory evidence from prosecutors.
It wasn't until Sept. 23, 2023, that all charges were dismissed and sealed after further investigation confirmed Trahan's alibi.
The lawsuit claims this incident is part of a broader pattern within the NYPD of ignoring exculpatory information and making baseless arrests due to inadequate training and supervision.
Trahan seeks compensatory damages for emotional distress and deprivation of liberty under federal law (42 U.S.C. §§ 1983), alongside punitive damages against individual defendants.
Additionally, he demands attorneys' fees and costs associated with the action. His attorney argues that these actions resulted from unconstitutional policies or practices by both the City of New York and its police department.
The case is being handled by Brett H. Klein Esq., PLLC, representing Michael Trahan. The case is filed under Case No: 1:24-cv-08833.