Excessive Force and Police Brutality

Watch the following educational legal video by New York Criminal Defense Attorney Deveraux Cannick as he discusses cases involving police brutality and use of excessive force in New York.

Many times, when making an arrest, a police officer may use excessive force. Some have used excessive force by physically assaulting people and causing severe injury, others by shooting someone and causing death. Fortunately, we’ve had experience in handling those cases for our clients – and getting great results. When someone believes that police officers have used excessive force or arrested them without probable cause, the most important thing to do is get to a lawyer as quickly as possible. Let the lawyer assess the circumstances and make sure he files a Notice of Claim on your behalf within 90 days of the incident. If the Notice of Claim is not filed within the appropriate time frame, you may be barred from bringing a lawsuit.

The first thing to do is identify a lawyer. Take your time, and choose a lawyer the same way as you would go about making any other important selection. Get referrals, do your own investigation, and then go and interview the law firm. If, after that interview, you feel comfortable with them and believe they’re competent and will fight for your cause, the next thing to do is make sure they file that Notice of Claim. After the Notice of Claim comes the summons and complaint, and the case takes on a life of its own.

Deveraux L. Cannick is a principal member of the firm and a trial attorney.  His practice includes Federal and State criminal defense, criminal law as well as civil litigation. Contact us at our Maspeth, Queens office today to schedule a free and confidential consultation with experienced New York criminal defense attorney Deveraux Cannick.