Following Brooklyn District Attorney Kenneth Thompson recommendation, a judge today dismissed the disorderly conduct charges against U. S. Postal Carrier Glen Grays following his arrest by four plain clothes cops for apparently delivering the mail.
Grays, 27, was working his Crown Heights route on President Street in Crown Heights March 17 when an unmarked police vehicle nearly hit him as he exited his USPS truck. Not knowing it was a cop car, Grays – like many a New Yorker – gave the car a rather loud Bronx cheer, prompting the four officers, including one lieutenant, to jump out of their car and surround him on the sidewalk.
The cops then began questioning Grays, who was dressed in full postal uniform and as his truck idled nearby before cuffing and arresting him roughly even th0ugh it appeared he didn’t put up any resistance.
A pedestrian with a cellphone videoed the incident, which was then brought to the attention of former NYPD cop and current Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, who decried the incident and demanded a NYPD internal investigation into the matter.
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Adams hailed the dismissal saying from the first moment he viewed the video it was evident Grays endured a clear miscarriage of justice.
“I thank the Brooklyn Criminal Court for righting a key piece of the wrong that this young man experienced by dismissing the spurious charges filed against him, as well as District Attorney Thompson for his support in this matter. The arrest of Mr. Grays impacted people across this country, with millions affected by seeing the troubling policing conduct he faced. The lives of young men of color hang in the balance when fundamental violations of one’s civil rights are allowed to persist unchecked,” said Adams.
“I appreciate that Commissioner Bratton and the NYPD are taking the internal review of this case seriously, and I trust that we will be a stronger city, state, and nation from working to correct the root causes of this behavior.”
NYPD Spokesman Stephen Davis said the lieutenant involved would be served with departmental charges and the other officers would face discipline from their commanders.
