Philadelphia Police Misconduct Lawyers: New Orleans Mayor Apologizes for Police Brutality

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In December 2016, the city of New Orleans settled three police brutality claims for incidents that occurred in 2005. The city’s mayor, Mitch Landrieu, offered an apology to the victims’ families for the city’s failure to address these cases for more than a decade. During his speech, he attributed the improvements to the New Orleans Police Department to federal oversight received during the past few years.

The victims’ families received settlement packages to cover their financial damages related to the victims’ deaths. Some of the families publicly forgave the offending officers and the police department, but not all. One victim’s brother stated that although the court battles are over, he will likely never feel true closure for his brother’s death.

Punitive Action Taken Against the Officers Involved

The police officers found guilty of misconduct in these three cases received jail sentences ranging from six to 65 years. A few of the officers were found guilty of shooting multiple victims. Another was found guilty of beating the victim to death. It is a criminal offense for a police officer to intentionally harm a civilian during any interaction.

Police misconduct goes beyond the rough handling of civilians and the use of weapons when they are not necessary. Any attempt to alter evidence involved in a case may also be considered to be an act of police misconduct. In one of the cases settled in December, the officer involved planted a gun from his own home as evidence against the victim to support the attempted murder charge made against him.

Philadelphia Police Misconduct Lawyers at Patrick G. Geckle LLC Can Represent Your Police Brutality Claim

You have the right to expect humane treatment during interactions with law enforcement. The unfortunate reality is that officers do not always treat citizens correctly. If you are suffering from physical or emotional trauma after a case of police brutality in Philadelphia, consider working with experienced Philadelphia police misconduct lawyers at Patrick G. Geckle LLC to file and pursue your police misconduct claim. To schedule your initial consultation in our Philadelphia office, fill out our online form or call Patrick G. Geckle LLC at 800-555-7780 or 215-735-3326. We represent clients from Philadelphia as well as other areas of Eastern and Central Pennsylvania, including Bucks County, Carbon County, Berks County, Delaware County, Lancaster County, Lackawanna County, Lehigh County, Luzerne County, Montgomery County, and Monroe County.