Daily Archives: January 22, 2010

The Flip Side of A Wrongful Arrest

New York personal injury attorneys help injury victims get compensation for pain, suffering, and humiliation by others. Sometimes even NYPD police officers are at fault for making false arrests or using excessive force. But sometimes cops are the ones getting hurt while enforcing the law. And so, NY personal injury lawyer turns its eyes to  an interesting story in a recent Pittsburgh paper. Pittsburgh’s undercover police set-up a sting to catch a 19-year-old drug dealer. Police bought the drugs, declared themselves, and ordered the man under arrest. Then, the cops ran for their lives. The defiant drug dealer floored the gas pedal of his SUV, pinning the two officers against a chain fence. The two police pulled their weapons and began shooting, nearly hitting an infant and an 18-year-old babysitter sitting in the jeep’s back seat. Imagine the wrongful death that could have occurred from the botched arrest. Recall this $1.3 Million wrongful death case won by NY injury lawyer. Fortunately, Pittsburgh police survived the dangerous condition, as did the vehicle’s innocent passengers. But the offender got away. The incident underscores the tough balance that police must face in: a) apprehending guilty offenders; b) recognizing people’s presumption of innocence; c) granting dignity, respect and protection for innocent pedestrians and other civilians; d) avoiding a wrongful or unnecessarily injurious arrest. It’s tough balance. In short, even wrongful arrests have their flip sides.