File #: Res 0091-2002    Version: * Name: Denouncing Federal Court of Appeals, Abner Louima Case
Type: Resolution Status: Filed
Committee: Committee on Fire and Criminal Justice Services
On agenda: 3/13/2002
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: Resolution denouncing the decision of the Federal Court of Appeals to overturn the convictions of former police officers Thomas Bruder, Thomas Wiese, and Charles Schwarz in the 1997 assault on Abner Louima; calling for the appointment of a Special Prosecutor to investigate the Court's decision; and declaring that these individuals should never again be allowed to serve as police officers.
Sponsors: Charles Barron, Bill Perkins, Leroy G. Comrie, Jr., Erik Martin Dilan, Lewis A. Fidler, Margarita Lopez, Miguel Martinez, Diana Reyna, Joel Rivera, James Sanders, Jr., Jose M. Serrano, David I. Weprin, Albert Vann
Council Member Sponsors: 13
Attachments: 1. Committee Report, 2. Hearing Transcript
Res. No. 91 Title Resolution denouncing the decision of the Federal Court of Appeals to overturn the convictions of former police officers Thomas Bruder, Thomas Wiese, and Charles Schwarz in the 1997 assault on Abner Louima; calling for the appointment of a Special Prosecutor to investigate the Court's decision; and declaring that these individuals should never again be allowed to serve as police officers. Body By Council Members Barron, Perkins, Comrie, Dilan, Fidler, Lopez, Martinez, Reyna, Rivera, Sanders, Serrano and Weprin; also Council Member Vann Whereas, On August 8, 1997 Abner Louima was brutally and maliciously assaulted while in the custody of the New York City Police Department; and Whereas, This act of cruelty and blatant racism was condemned by those both within the law enforcement community and the country at large; and Whereas, After lengthy trials Thomas Bruder, Thomas Wiese, and Charles Schwarz were duly convicted on charges in relation to this terrible atrocity; and Whereas, In July of 2001 the City of New York acknowledged the damage caused by this terrible incident by settling a lawsuit with Mr. Louima for $8.7 million; and Whereas, The attack on Mr. Louima exemplified the racism that exists in our City and exists within its police department; and Whereas, The convictions of these officers offered the community some consolation that such acts of cruelty and racism would not go unpunished; and Whereas, The Federal Court of Appeals has hastily and with more concern for legal technicality than with guilt or innocence needlessly overturned the convictions of these former police officers; and Whereas, In light of this unjust reversal, a Special Prosecutor should be appointed to investigate the decision; and Whereas, In light of the horrific incidents in the 70th Precinct on August 8, 1997, none of the police officers involved should be reinstated to the New York City Police Department; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York denounces the decision of the Federal Court of Appeals to overturn the convictions of former police officers Thomas Bruder, Thomas Wiese, and Charles Schwarz in the 1997 assault on Abner Louima; calling for the appointment of a Special Prosecutor to investigate the Court's decision; and declaring that these individuals should never again be allowed to serve as police officers.