SuED COP FIRES BACK
$175M filing, hits ‘bad kid’
AN OFT-SUED detective announced his own $175 million lawsuit against the city Thursday before blasting a Bronx honor student turned criminal justice cause célèbre. NYPD Detective David Terrell — the target of more than a dozen lawsuits — fired back in a blockbuster filing declaring his innocence and charging the city fails to support its cops. Terrell, 44, then unloaded on Bronx honor student/alleged gangbanger Pedro Hernandez, who filed one of the damning lawsuits against the 15-year veteran. “He is a really bad kid, unfortunately,” Terrell said during a lengthy conference call with reporters. “I feel bad for him . . . . He is not a good kid. Contrary to what everybody believes, he is not. When the day comes, my attorney will let everyone see.” Terrell insisted he had nothing to do with Hernandez’s July 2015 bust for the shooting of Tyrese Revels, a case that was later dismissed. According to the officer’s filing, Terrell “never interviewed, assisted, arrested and/or participated in the apprehension of Mr. Hernandez.” Revels has since charged that Terrell threatened to beat him unless he identified Hernandez as the shooter. Hernandez spent more than a year on Rikers Island when he couldn’t post $250,000 bail after his arrest in a second shooting. He was set free last month after the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Group put up the money.
“I don’t believe the Kennedy foundation should have bailed him out,” sniped Terrell, suggesting there were inmates more deserving of the help.
Terrell and his lawyer, Eric Sanders, vowed to demonstrate the NYPD detective’s innocence against allegations brought by investigator Manuel Gomez and lawyer John Scola.
“One-hundred percent, and when the time comes my attorney will be able to provide that proof,” said Terrell.
Terrell was accused, among other things, of offering a Bronx mother protection for her son in return for her sexual favors.
A second suit charges that Terrell body-slammed a Bronx mom trying to intercede on behalf of her arrested son.
“People go out and lie, and there’s no consequences,” Terrell griped.
The notice of claim, the first legal step in suing the city, recounts the highlights of Terrell’s career: More than 1,000 arrests, his work investigating street gangs, his appointment as a field intelligence officer in the 42nd Precinct.
“This is an ever-expanding ‘cottage industry,’ ” charges the claim filed with the city controller. “Gang members, their families and members of the community that benefit from criminal enterprises hire alleged unethical private investigators and legal counsel to file frivolous civil rights lawsuits.”
Terrell said there were cases brought where the accused officer’s entire defense is signing a document for city lawyers — and then learning the case was settled.
“I’ll give you an example: A defendant is arrested, a clean arrest, nothing happens,” said Terrell. “Six months from now, you find out the defendant made $15,000 in a settlement where the cop never had a chance to speak on their own behalf.”