Sketches of Court: Jury denies police false arrest claim

April 14, 2022 Alba Acevedo

Court sketch by Alba Acevdo

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In this courtroom sketch, Hon. Genine Edwards listens as plaintiff’s attorney Amy Marion (standing), of the law firm Abrams Fensterman LLC, calls on a hostile witness defendant police officer in the trial Harvin v. City of New York, et. al. At issue is liability around plaintiff’s allegation of false arrest and civil rights violation.

Marion cited a paucity of corroborating information in original paperwork, such as police memo book entries, to support the contention that the police had probable cause to stop and detain Harvin. Harvin was ultimately tried and acquitted of all related charges. Marion sought punitive damages for her client, to discourage further false arrests in general. She also sought compensation for her client’s lost earnings. Harvin is a retired police officer but was working as a federal marshal.

Corporation Counsel attorney Desiree Alexander (seated) represented the officers, who alleged that they followed Harvin for a considerable distance, during which they witnessed reckless driving. She maintained that it was reasonable for them to stop and detain Harvin. In summations. Alexander reiterated that police memo books are for personal notations and not for exhaustive details.

The jury sided with the officers in finding no false arrest or imprisonment in the 2-1/2 weeks’ trial that ended last week in Kings County Supreme Civil Term. Court reporter Kiki Panzella transcribed the proceedings.