On June 1, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. at the Law Offices of Frederick K. Brewington, located at 556 Peninsula Blvd., Hempstead, New York 11550, retired Correction Officer Ronald Lanier, who is an African-American man and a twenty-two-and-a-half-year veteran of the Nassau County Sheriff’s Department, will announce the filing of his Federal Civil Rights suit against the Village of Garden City, Garden City Police Department and several of its officers. On November 30, 2016, Mr. Lanier was shopping in the Western Beef Supermarket, Mineola New York, just blocks away from his home. As he shopped, he was attacked from behind by two Garden City Police Officers, George Byrd and John Russell, who cursed him, beat him, threw him to the ground and cuffed him while verbally abusing him. All this occurred because Mr. Lanier was profiled based on the color of his skin. Since the police were allegedly looking for a Black man, they grabbed the first Black man they saw in the store. The officers would not listen to Mr. Lanier’s pleas and his attempts to identify himself. Mr. Lanier was further abused and humiliated by the Officers as he was perp walked through the store in handcuffs and then held in the back of a police car where he was verbally abused further.
After some time in cuffs, he was unceremoniously released with no apology and no explanation. After trying to have Garden City take responsibility for its wrongful actions, conduct of its officers and obvious racial profiling of Mr. Lanier, he has been left with no alternative but to sue to vindicate his rights and seek justice.
The press is invited to join Mr. Lanier and other members of the community as he, along with his attorney, Frederick K. Brewington, in announcing the filing of the suit and giving details of his case and the abuse to which he has been subjected. The press conference will take place on June 1, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. at the Law Offices of Frederick K. Brewington, located at 556 Peninsula Blvd., Hempstead, New York 11550.