Man beaten in NYPD arrest video, Timothy Brown files $100M claim

BROOKLYN - Timothy Brown, the Brooklyn man at the center of a violent mistaken identity arrest caught on video, has filed a notice of claim seeking $100 million from New York City, alleging police used excessive force and violated his constitutional rights.

What we know:

The claim, a precursor to a lawsuit, stems from an April 14 incident in which Brown said he was beaten by two plainclothes NYPD detectives inside a liquor store. Brown said this is his first public account of the encounter, describing feelings of humiliation and lasting emotional impact.

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"I was hated, disrespected, embarrassed, and I was brutally beaten for no reason," Brown said. "What happened to me should never happen to anyone else."

Brown and his legal team said they are also seeking broader institutional changes, including financial penalties tied to police pensions in cases of misconduct, arguing such measures could deter similar incidents.

Mistaken Identity 

City officials have acknowledged the incident and said the detectives involved were removed from their assignments. 

The mayor and police commissioner have also discussed disbanding the narcotics unit involved. Brown and his mother said they have not been contacted directly by either official.

What happened in Brooklyn?

The backstory:

The incident occurred around 4 p.m. on April 14, when Brown said he entered a liquor store in Brooklyn to buy a bottle of wine. 

According to police, the two detectives, assigned to Brooklyn North Narcotics, were conducting an undercover operation targeting crack cocaine sales and believed Brown matched the description of a suspect’s accomplice.

Dig deeper:

Video of the encounter shows the detectives grabbing Brown and repeatedly punching him, forcing him into shelves stocked with glass bottles before he falls to the ground. At one point, an officer appears to kick him as they attempt to restrain him. Brown was then dragged across the floor, which appeared to be covered in broken glass, toward the front of the store.

A bystander who recorded the video can be heard questioning the officers’ actions as the arrest unfolded.

Police later said Brown was not involved in the drug sale and was not in possession of drugs. He was initially charged with resisting arrest, but prosecutors have since dropped the charge.

The NYPD said the matter is still under internal review by its Internal Affairs Bureau, and there is currently a 90-day review of Narcotics, on everything from equipment and compliance to policy and training.