Cops Drag Brooklyn Grandmother Naked Out of Apartment–Complaints About NYPD Brutality Still Pouring In

Since the death last month of
Eric Garner at the hands of New York City police during an
attempted arrest (ruled
a homicide by chokehold by the medical examiner), there have
been a series of complaints about police brutality directed at the
New York Police Department (NYPD). Some occurred after Garner’s
death but some occurred before, only appearing after because of the
renewed attention to the NYPD’s record of police brutality in the
wake of Garner’s very publicized death.

Here is the latest of the latter kind,
via the New York Daily News:

A Brooklyn grandmother who had just taken a shower was dragged
from her apartment by about 12 cops who then stood by for more than
two minutes while she was naked in the hallway, according to video
that emerged Friday.

Denise Stewart was in her Brownsville apartment on July 13 when
police — responding to a domestic disturbance call at the building
— pounded on her door at 11:45 p.m. and demanded entry.

Stewart, 48, cracked the door wearing only a towel wrapped
around her body and underpants — and was yanked into the hallway by
cops over the screams of her family and neighbors.

The video shows a chaotic scene as a dozen or so male officers
burst into Stewart’s apartment, while several others struggle to
subdue and cuff the nearly naked woman in the hallway outside.

Police did not get a specific apartment number for their call
but chose Stewart’s residence because it sounded loud on the
inside. They claimed a 12-year old girl in the house had visible
injuries on her, that becoming their reason to act, although it
didn’t protect her from being arrested either. The Daily
News explains:

Cops removed the 12-year-old from the apartment and say she
refused to get into the police car and kicked the door. A police
spokesman said the child kicked out one of the police van’s
windows, with the broken glass cutting the chin of one of the cops.
The cops were treated at local hospitals and released.

Denise Stewart was charged with assaulting a police officer, and
— along with her oldest daughter, Diamond Stewart, 20, — resisting
arrest, acting in a manner injurious to a child and criminal
possession of a weapon.

Stewart’s son Kirkland Stewart, 24, was charged with resisting
arrest. The 12-year-old was charged with assaulting a police
officer, criminal mischief and criminal possession of a weapon.

Children’s Services found no sign of neglect of the 12-year-old,
although it sounds like the police’s behavior toward her may count
as abusive.

Related:
my column earlier today explains how incidents like these
illustrate the dangerous effects “progressive” policies have on the
very people they claim to be enacted on behalf of, the poor.