Update: Notice of Claim Filed in George Tillman Case
Last week, the Law Offices of Jeffrey Lichtman along with the Law Office of Marc Fernich filed a notice of claim against the New York City Police Department on behalf of the wife and mother of George Tillman, charging wrongful death and excessive force by the NYPD officers who gunned Mr. Tillman down after he was initially spotted drinking from an open container in Queens in April of this year. Chasing Mr. Tillman down the street, multiple police officers opened fire when they claimed Mr. Tillman pulled a gun on them. Not a single, non-police witness has claimed Mr. Tillman possessed a weapon that night and no one present at the scene heard officers scream at Mr. Tillman to drop any gun. Instead, the officers opened fire, hitting him with more than 10 shots – without a single shot fired by Mr. Tillman.
Shot to Death By the NYPD — After Suspicion of Having an Open Container
The one eyewitness who was with George at the time the NYPD officers chased him down the street and ultimately killed him, was handcuffed and arrested after the shooting and locked in a jail cell for 12 hours, never charged nor given the chance to contact an attorney. Only after an illegal interrogation the next day was he released from custody. No explanation has yet been given for these illegal actions by the Queens officers. This issue, as well as how a supposedly armed and dangerous individual was shot over ten times after suspicion of having an open container – and yet didn’t get a single shot off in his defense – will only be answered through litigation, depositions and a trial.
And this legal claim comes at a time when trust in NYPD is at an alltime low due either to repeated, excessive violence against unarmed individuals or a culture of dishonesty and corruption within its ranks. However, as top criminal lawyers in Manhattan for over 25 years, the Law Offices of Jeffrey Lichtman have not only battled members of law enforcement but have represented them for decades in both federal and state court criminal matters, with great success. The overwhelming majority of members of law enforcement are selfless protectors of our neighborhoods and communities – and weeding out those who are corrupt, who would use excessive force for no good reason is a must. And while George Tillman cannot be brought back to his loving family, some good can come from his unfortunate death at the hands of overzealous police officers.
Call a Civil Rights Attorney Today if Your Rights Were Violated
We have steadfastly and zealously represented individuals charged with crimes in state courts throughout New York; in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Staten Island, Suffolk, Nassau, Westchester and Rockland Counties and Albany. In addition, we have represented individuals charged with federal crimes throughout the United States and locally beyond New York in Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Branching out into Civil Rights and Sexual Harassment claims, we are utilizing the skills we have gained in the criminal arena to great success in representing individuals who are victims of police brutality and abuse in the workplace. Mr. Lichtman has received the highest rating (AV) from the Martindale-Hubbell Legal Directory, is recognized in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers and has also been selected as a New York City Super Lawyer for being a leader in his field of criminal defense. Finally, read Mr. Lichtman’s reviews on the Avvo Law Directory where he has received the highest rating of 10.0/10. Call us at (212) 581-1001 to discuss your case today.