Abner Louima
Abner Louima | |
---|---|
Born | Thomassin, Haiti | November 24, 1966
Nationality | Haitian American |
Alma mater | Ecole Nationale des Arts Métiers |
Occupations |
|
Organization | Abner Louima Foundation |
Known for | 1997 police brutality victim |
Abner Louima (born November 24, 1966[1] in Thomassin, Haiti) is a Haitian American man who, in 1997, was physically attacked, brutalized, and raped by officers of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) after he was arrested outside a Brooklyn nightclub. His injuries were so severe that he required three major surgeries.
Officers responsible for the attack were charged and convicted in federal court, and Justin Volpe was sentenced to federal prison to serve a 30-year sentence. In 2001, Louima received a US$8.75 million settlement (equivalent to about $15M in 2023) in his civil suit against the city for police brutality, the largest civil settlement at that time for such abuse. He has set up the Abner Louima Foundation to establish a hospital and community centers in Haiti, Florida, and New York for Haitian residents, immigrants, and others in need.
Background
Abner Louima was born and grew up in
Incident
On the night of August 9, 1997, the police were called and several officers from the 70th Precinct were dispatched to the scene where Abner Louima and other men had been involved in a fight between two women in Club Rendez-Vous, a popular nightclub in East Flatbush, Brooklyn. Police, supporters, and various people all became involved in the fight outside the club. Police officers Justin Volpe, Charles Schwarz, Thomas Bruder, and Thomas Wiese, and others responded to the scene. In the ongoing altercation, Volpe said that Louima had attacked him. Louima was charged with disorderly conduct, obstructing government administration, and resisting arrest. Later, Volpe admitted his accusation about Louima being his assailant was a lie.[4]
On the ride to the station, the arresting officers beat Louima with their fists,
Louima's teeth were also badly damaged in the attack when the broom handle was jammed into his mouth.[7] He testified that a second officer in the bathroom helped Volpe in the assault but could not positively identify him. The identity of the second attacker became a point of serious contention during the trial and appeals. Louima also initially claimed that the officers involved in the attack called him a racial slur and shouted, "This is Giuliani-time" during the beating.[8] Louima later recanted that claim. The reversal was used by police defense lawyers to cast doubt on the entirety of his testimony.[9]
The day after the incident, police took Louima to the
Public reaction
Reports of the incident and the severity of Louima's injuries provoked national outrage. On August 29, 1997, an estimated 7,000 demonstrators marched to the New York City Hall and the 70th Precinct station house at 154 Lawrence Avenue where the attack took place. The march was dubbed "Day of Outrage Against Police Brutality and Harassment."[10]
The case was mentioned in the 1998
Mike McAlary, a New York Daily News journalist, investigated and reported an exposé of the brutalization of Louima by NYPD officers. He won the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for distinguished commentary for this reporting.[13]
Criminal trials
Volpe was charged with several counts in federal court of violating Louima's
Charles Schwarz was convicted on June 27, 2000 for helping Volpe assault Louima in the bathroom, and he was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Three other
In February 2021, Volpe's request for a COVID-related compassionate release was denied.[25] Nevertheless, he was released from prison early on April 13, 2023.[26][27]
Jack Smith, then a young assistant United States Attorney, was one of the prosecutors who worked on these cases.
Aftermath
Louima was represented by attorney Sanford Rubenstein in a subsequent
In February 2003, Louima visited his family still living in
In 2007, Louima was residing in Miami Lakes, Florida.[9] He owns homes in suburban Miami and Port-au-Prince, and several investment properties in Florida.[29]
Louima has since participated in anti-police brutality protests with
See also
- Joseph Gray (police officer)
- Frank Lino
- NYPD subway sodomy incident
- Police brutality in the United States
- Prison rape in the United States
References
- ISBN 9781456604165. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
- ^ Herszenhorn, David M. (August 13, 1997). "Family 7Describes a Readily Friendly Man". The New York Times. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
- ^ Toobin, Jeffrey (June 3, 2002). "The Driver". The New Yorker. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
- ^ a b c Chan, Sewell (August 9, 2007). "The Abner Louima Case, 10 Years Later". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 6, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
- ^ a b Brenner, Marie (December 1997). "Incident in the 70th Precinct". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on April 13, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
- ^ Fried, Joseph P. (May 20, 1999). "In Surprise, Witness Says Officer Bragged About Louima Torture". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 14, 2013. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
- ^ "World: Americas Haitian confronts alleged tormentors". BBC News. May 7, 1999. Archived from the original on January 2, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
- ^ Hinojosa, Maria (August 14, 1997). "NYC officer arrested in alleged sexual attack on suspect". CNN. Archived from the original on January 6, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
- ^ a b c Dwyer, Jim (June 23, 2002). "No Way Out". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 19, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
- ^ Tyre, Peg; Karl, Jonathan (August 29, 1997). "Demonstrators in New York protest police brutality". CNN. Associated Press. Archived from the original on January 5, 2007. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
- ^ Amnesty International. 1998."AI Report 1998: United States of America". Amnesty.org. Retrieved December 6, 2006. Archived July 10, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Amnesty International. 2000. "Take a Step to Stamp Out Torture". Amnesty.org. Retrieved December 6, 2006. Archived November 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ The Pulitzer Prizes. 1998."The Pulitzer Prize winner, 1998 for Distinguished Commentary". Pulitzer.org. Retrieved December 13, 2006. Archived March 3, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Grand Jury, United States District Court, Eastern District of New York. 1998."U.S. v. Volpe, et al." Archived May 17, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Grand jury indictment, reproduced on CourtTV.com. Retrieved December 6, 2006.
- ^ Hinojosa, Maria; Tuchman, Gary (December 13, 1999). "30-year sentence for N.Y. policeman in torture of black man". CNN. Associated Press. Archived from the original on September 2, 2008. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
- ^ "NYPD officer jailed for brutality". BBC News. December 13, 1999. Archived from the original on October 9, 2010. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
- ^ Draper, Robert. "Say a Prayer for Justin Volpe; This NYC cop is doing 30 years without parole for what he did with a broomstick in a bathroom. Can you see him as more than a monster? His parents hope so". GQ. p. 19. Archived from the original on January 2, 2014. Retrieved December 11, 2008.
- ^ "NYPD officer jailed for brutality". BBC News. June 27, 2000. Archived from the original on January 2, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
- ^ Siegel, Nathan (September 13, 2001). "Why Police Officer Charles Schwarz, Convicted in the Abner Louima Case, Deserves a New Trial". FindLaw. Archived from the original on January 2, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
- Village Voice. Archived from the originalon January 3, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
- ^ Ramirez, Anthony (February 4, 2007). "Officer in Louima Case Returns to State to Finish Sentence". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 1, 2013. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
- ^ "Louima Cop Back on Public Payroll as a NYCHA Carpenter". December 4, 2019. Archived from the original on November 5, 2020. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
- ^ "Convictions against NY police reversed". BBC News. February 28, 2002. Archived from the original on January 2, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
- ^ New York City Counsel, Governmental Affairs Division, Committee on Fire and Criminal Justice Services. 2002."Res No. 91A-2002". Retrieved December 6, 2006.
- ^ "Former NYPD cop, convicted of brutal beating in 1997, denied compassionate release". February 9, 2021.
- ^ "Ex-officer convicted in Abner Louima attack released from prison early". ny1.com. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
- ^ "Federal Bureau of Prisons". Bop.gov. Archived from the original on July 22, 2013. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
- ^ "New York pays for police brutality". BBC News. July 13, 2001. Archived from the original on January 4, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
- ^ St. Petersburg Times. Associated Press. February 26, 2003. Archived from the originalon January 6, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
- ^ Wehaitians.com gallery. 2003."Abner Louima, from dirt-poor to a great many times a millionaire and ultra-celebrity", Wehaitians.com. Retrieved December 7, 2006. Archived June 18, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
External links
- Duke Law Journal (48 Duke L. J. 1157) Prosecuting race by Anthony V. Alfieri
- McAlary, M. (1997.) They Saw Louima's Terror, The New York Daily News – 1998 Pulitzer Prize winner for distinguished commentary.
- Original police incident reports, interviews, and other documents at The Smoking Gun.