NYC has spent $82 million in 2024 settling lawsuits over alleged NYPD misconduct, data shows

    NEW YORK, New York (WCBS) -- A woman arrested at a demonstration in SoHo is now suing the NYPD, claiming officers targeted her for protesting the police.

It comes as the city is dishing out record settlements for police misconduct allegations. CBS News New York's Ali Bauman first covered the protest in question and now explains the suit.

The Jordan Neely protest

In May 2023, chaos erupted at the protest over the death of subway performer Jordan Neely, and at the time the lack of charges for Daniel Penny, the Marine veteran seen choking him on camera.

The NYPD had said officers found a Molotov cocktail in the crowd and made several arrests that night, including Kimberly Bernard.

"I specifically recall being pointed out, singled out, targeted and arrested. I asked several times why I was arrested. That wasn't explained to me," Bernard said.

Bernard is now suing the NYPD for $2.5 million and seeking policy changes for the police.

"People who protest, especially when it comes to advocating for Black lives, I think there has been for a long time a lot of retaliation and disproportionate treatment," Barnard said.

The suit alleges police initially arrested Bernard for terrorism-related offenses -- felonies. The district attorney ultimately charged her with obstruction and trespassing, misdemeanors which were later dropped altogether.

"This is a tactic to label people as outside agitators, to accuse people of violence," attorney MK Kaishian said. "So whether or not the NYPD and city officials agree with the content of the speech dictates the way they meet demonstrators on those issues."

NYC spending tens of millions settling suits alleging police misconduct

Bernard's suit now tops a pile of pending litigation.

On Monday, the Legal Aid Society released data showing New York City has spent $82 million this year settling lawsuits over alleged NYPD misconduct.

"We're on track right now to total potentially over $140 million, which is the highest in years," staff attorney Jennvine Wong said.

Some of the suits paid out this year stem from allegations against police that date back decades.

"These complaints are basically canaries in the coal mine and the administration has to take a close look at the policing culture and why this policing culture seems to encourage and protect officers that engage in misconduct," Wong said.

CBS News New York reached out to the NYPD about Bernard's allegations but it deferred to the city's Law Department, which said it will review the complaint once the city has been served.