BY TINA MOORE
Video played at a recent
disciplinary trial for two police officers accused of illegally entering an
apartment in Brownsville, Brooklyn, and arresting a man and his brother shows
the contentious argument that ensued during the December 2011 incident.
"What did I do? You're not allowed in my
house!" Tarick Bell, 24, yells at Police Officer Matthew Monahan before he
is arrested.
The NYPD's independent
watchdog, the Civilian Complaint Review Board, substantiated illegal arrest and
illegal entrance complaints against Monahan and his supervisor, Lt. Kevin Shea,
and both are on disciplinary trial.
In a video played during the trial's first day
Tuesday, Bell confronts one of the cops in front of his building on Mother
Gaston Blvd. as two cops talk to his younger brothers.
He has his iPhone camera shooting and asks the
officers what happened. When the officers turn to leave, Bell asks them for
their badge numbers.
The officers comply, and Bell tells them,
"I'll see you in mediation."
Then, the cops and Bell went into the
building, the video shows. Once inside, the cops told Bell they want to give
him a disorderly conduct summons. Bell tells them he has done nothing wrong and
refuses to come out of his apartment.
Defense Attorney Mike
Martinez argued that Monahan approached Bell's younger brothers because he
noticed two kids doing something to a Housing Authority door.
"All he did as he was leaving the
building was engage them in conversation," Martinez argued in the trial at
Police Headquarters in Lower Manhattan.
He alleged that Bell, who claims the cop was
searching one of his brothers, yelled profanities at the officers when the
camera was off. Bell denied the accusations.
When the officer threatened to have other cops
come to the apartment _ where Bell's baby brother can be heard crying in the
background _ Bell started yelling at the cops that they didn't have a warrant.
Bell said the cop grabbed him inside his
apartment, but the altercation isn't captured on the video.
His brother, Dorrey Murphy, is accused of
blocking the apartment door. Both were arrested. But neither of them was
prosecuted for a crime or received summonses in the incident.
At the trial, Bell said he
had been stopped by cops in his neighborhood multiple times and arrested five
times. When talking about the stops, he broke down.
"You don't even have to be doing anything
wrong and they just slowly drive up next to you, put you against the
car...," Bell said, crying.
Both Bell and Murphy filed civil suits in the
case. Bell testified that his $1 million suit led to a settlement of about
$27,000. Murphy's case is still in the system.
The CCRB has the ability to make
recommendations for the cops' punishment if they're found guilty. The trial
will continue in May.
In the past, the CCRB would pass along
findings of wrongdoing to the NYPD, and a police department prosecutor would
present the case to an administrative judge. The process was closed to the
public.
