{"id":26796,"date":"2015-10-21T17:20:25","date_gmt":"2015-10-21T21:20:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sidebarforplaintiffs.naomifein.net\/?p=26796"},"modified":"2015-10-21T17:20:25","modified_gmt":"2015-10-21T21:20:25","slug":"plaintiffs-suing-suffolk-may-proceed-anonymously","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sidebarforplaintiffs.naomifein.net\/?p=26796","title":{"rendered":"“Plaintiffs suing Suffolk may proceed anonymously”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Source: Plaintiffs Suing Suffolk May Proceed Anonymously | New York Law Journal<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

This is a more volatile and important civil rights case than the headline suggests. The beginning paragraphs will tell you why:<\/p>\n

Plaintiffs alleging that Suffolk County police officers have a policy, pattern and practice of discriminatory policing against Latinos may proceed with the putative class action anonymously, a judge has ruled.<\/em><\/p>\n

The suit, filed by 21 plaintiffs, claims police subject Latino drivers to illegal traffic stops and target them in a “stop and rob” scheme.<\/em><\/p>\n

Defendants include the county, its police department, police officials and a former officer, Scott Greene, who is awaiting trial on charges he took money from 27 Latino drivers, some of whom are the plaintiffs.<\/em><\/p>\n

In Plaintiffs #1-21 v. County of Suffolk<\/a>, 15-cv-2431, the plaintiffs asked to litigate anonymously because they “fear[ed] that any litigation will lead to further harassment or retaliation, including the extreme harm of deportation.”<\/em><\/p>\n

They offered to allow limited disclosure of their identities as long as they were not made public, but the county rejected the offer and opposed the anonymity request.<\/em><\/p>\n

On Wednesday, Eastern District Judge Arthur Spatt<\/a> granted the request but directed the parties to enter a protective order allowing for limited disclosure of the plaintiffs’ identities for the purpose of discovery.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Based on the extraordinary nature of these allegations, the court finds that the plaintiffs’ fears of potential retaliation by the [Suffolk County Police Department] appear reasonable, at least until discovery proves otherwise,” he said.<\/em><\/p>\n

See what I mean? The allegations against the Suffolk County PD make this so-called law enforcement agency sound like a bunch of Southern vigilantes or storm troopers. If these claims are accurate, Suffolk County PD is riddled with criminals.<\/p>\n

Can you imagine being treated this way by your<\/em> police department?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Source: Plaintiffs Suing Suffolk May Proceed Anonymously | New York Law Journal This is a more volatile and important civil rights case than the headline suggests. The beginning paragraphs will tell you why: Plaintiffs alleging that Suffolk County police officers … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[337],"tags":[161,42,9,436,94,310,34],"class_list":["post-26796","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-legal-news","tag-civil-rights-lawsuits","tag-class-action-lawsuits","tag-law-and-government-agencies","tag-law-and-the-courts","tag-lawsuits-against-municipal-agencies","tag-role-of-judges","tag-situations-demanding-lawsuits"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t