JABBAR CAMPBELL 32 |
Officers from the 77th Precinct, responding to reports of noise at the Sterling Place party, “bum-rushed” Jabbar Campbell after he opened the door of his apartment.
“They were screaming and cursing saying things like ‘fag,’ ‘homo,’ ‘a--hole,’ just a bunch of anti-gay slurs,” Campbell, a 32-year-old forensic specialist, told The News.
Campbell said he was beaten by the officers, who bloodied his mouth, split open his lip and caused swelling to his left eye. He was then handcuffed and charged with resisting arrest — and spent 24 hours in police custody.
Campbell filed legal paperwork Wednesday revealing his intention to sue the city.
The incident began around 2:50 a.m. with two cops responding to a noise complaint at Jabbar’s Crown Heights building. The officers told revelers — some dressed in drag — outside Campbell’s home to keep it down.
Those officers left, but about 10 minutes later, another group of cops arrived, Campbell said.
The officers buzzed at the locked door — and one even reached out to disable the surveillance camera in the vestibule.
“They were trying to open the door, but it was locked,” Campbell said. “They were banging with their flashlights.
After about 10 minutes, Campbell let the officers in.
“They said, ‘Stop resisting arrest.’ I said, ‘I am not resisting.’”
But the cops beat him up anyway, he said.
“I blacked out. I was concerned for my life,” said Campbell.
The victim’s lawyer said the officer’s attempt to disable the camera would be a key part of the case.
“They were trying to conceal the evidence by turning the camera away,” said the lawyer, Herb Subin. “They committed a hate crime inside a gay pride event.”
The NYPD did not respond to an initial request for comment.
The incident began around 2:50 a.m. with two cops responding to a noise complaint at Jabbar’s Crown Heights building. The officers told revelers — some dressed in drag — outside Campbell’s home to keep it down.
Those officers left, but about 10 minutes later, another group of cops arrived, Campbell said.
The officers buzzed at the locked door — and one even reached out to disable the surveillance camera in the vestibule.
“They were trying to open the door, but it was locked,” Campbell said. “They were banging with their flashlights.
After about 10 minutes, Campbell let the officers in.
“They said, ‘Stop resisting arrest.’ I said, ‘I am not resisting.’”
But the cops beat him up anyway, he said.
“I blacked out. I was concerned for my life,” said Campbell.
The victim’s lawyer said the officer’s attempt to disable the camera would be a key part of the case.
“They were trying to conceal the evidence by turning the camera away,” said the lawyer, Herb Subin. “They committed a hate crime inside a gay pride event.”
The NYPD did not respond to an initial request for comment.
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