The video going viral of a New York City postal worker was arrested while on duty by NYPD after objecting to their driving in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn has just surfaced, as you can see below.
UPDATE: “Our agency is aware of the incident,” says Matt Modafferi of the United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General, “We have an investigation that’s ongoing, at this point, that’s all that I can comment on.”
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams held a news conference on Tuesday to denounce mailman Glenn Grays’ arrest on March 17th.
Doubtless, the two NYPD undercover cops may be getting a visit from the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) to discuss the arrest which may have violated one of the laundry list of federal crimes enforced by the oldest American police agency, founded by THE Ben Franklin in 1772.
Eric Adams stated that mailman Grays exited his vehicle after to deliver a package to a near by home, when plain clothes NYPD officers who were offended by Grays’ protest of their driving skills demanded his identification.
In a video that is sure to go viral below, NYPD officers surround the postal worker as he objects saying “You want my ID, my ID right there on the side of the truck”, referring to his official USPS vehicle double parked legally while he dropped off a package.
Officers continue to press him for his identification and start grabbing at his arms to cuff him. When Grays’ allegedly stiffened up arm after four officers surround him and up his as an officer can be hear saying, “You’re going to get hurt if you don’t give me your fucking hands”.
An unseen by stander who is off camera is heard saying, “Lawsuit, man, lawsuit,”.
Court records indicate that Grays has yet to be charged with a crime, but Adams said mailman Grays was given a summons to appear in court.
The New York cops hauled Grays down to the 71st Precinct station where he was held for a prolonged period and later released with a ticket for resisting arrest.
The infamous Supreme Court ruling Terry vs. Ohio authorized “stop and frisk” fishing expeditions like those NYPD is famous for launching, and unwisely deployed on this law abiding postal worker.
But only if the officers can articulate reasonable suspicion of an actual crime.
Criticizing the police isn’t a crime.
Glenn Grays has no prior criminal history, but now faces a criminal charge for exercising his 1st Amendment right of expression to NYPD officers who abused their authority and were caught on video doing it, without any apparent fear of criminal charges against themselves.
Officers allegedly also left packages Grays’ official USPS vehicle unsecured and unattended.
“It is not against the law to voice outrage after almost being struck by a vehicle,” Borough President Adams told the media, “This could have been another Eric Garner situation if Glenn hadn’t responded as calmly as he did. And if they would do that to Glenn in his uniform, they would do that to any person of color in that neighborhood.”
Adams as demanded a thorough review of the incident.
The NYPD has stated that they are already investigating themselves.
But those two NYPD officers shouldn’t be surprised if they get a single loud knock on the door at home, with a demand for their own submission to arrest by Federal Postal Inspectors.
Because it is only the postman who always rings twice, Federal law enforcement won’t be so forgiving.
H/T Patch.com and Gothamist
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