FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, October 29, 2024
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Fraynette Familia, Director of Communications for Council Member Carmen De La Rosa, ffamilia@council.nyc.gov
Eliel Cruz, Justice Committee, press@justicecommittee.org
31 City and State Electeds Demand Accountability for 2019 Killing of Allan Feliz, Call on Administration to Act Swiftly Amid Ongoing NYPD Turmoil
New York, NY — This morning, a coalition of 31 New York City and State elected officials called on the Adams administration to ensure accountability for the 2019 killing of Allan Feliz at the hands of NYPD officers during an unfounded traffic stop. Their calls took the form of a letter addressed to the Mayor and future Commissioner of the NYPD. While originally sponsored by the Council Progressive Caucus, the missive gained the support of dozens of political leaders.
After five years of waiting, the Feliz family awaits a disciplinary trial scheduled for Lieutenant Jonathan Rivera, the officer who shot Mr. Feliz at point-blank range, on November 12, 13, and 15 of this year. However, elected leaders have growing concerns that ongoing corruption investigations and resignations in both the NYPD and Mayor’s Office could disrupt the process and impede accountability.
In the strongly worded letter sent to City Hall and One Police Plaza, officials expressed concern over the state of the Adams administration and NYPD leadership, calling for decisive action.
"We are deeply troubled by the current state of the administration and department leadership and urge you to do everything in your power to earn the trust of New Yorkers," the letter states. "One step you must take is to make sure the disciplinary hearing for Lt. Jonathan Rivera moves forward without further delay."
Co-signer and Progressive Caucus Vice Chair Carmen De La Rosa has been following this case closely as Allan Feliz was a constituent of hers.
“Allan Feliz was a brother, father, son, and my neighbor whose life was cut short in an undignified manner by those sworn to protect and serve. After five years, progress was made toward justice, accountability, and transparency. This progress is put at risk by the volatility and uncertainty of the changing leadership of the NYPD, prolonging the suffering of the Feliz family and the erosion of the public trust. Lt. Rivera’s discipline trial must move forward without further delay and Lt. Rivera must be fired swiftly so that we may close a painful chapter for the Feliz family and our community. We cannot absolve the NYPD of their responsibility to those they serve,” said De La Rosa.
The letter points to a disturbing pattern within the NYPD under Mayor Adams' administration. Elected officials cite numerous cases, including the killing of Kawaski Trawick, in which substantiated charges of misconduct have been met with delays or no consequences. Recent reporting by ProPublica revealed that the NYPD has buried hundreds of substantiated misconduct cases under Mayor Adams.
“The NYPD has a troubling pattern of protecting officers who engage in violence and misconduct that has worsened dramatically in the last three years,” the letter reads. “Substantiated fire-able charges were filed against the officers who killed Kawaski Trawick, yet the former police commissioner did not render a final decision until nearly a year after the discipline hearing concluded, and in the end, chose not to fire the officers or impose any consequences whatsoever.”
The signatories, who include leaders and members of the City Council’s Progressive Caucus, Speaker Adrienne Adams, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala, among others, stress the importance of not allowing Allan Feliz’s case to follow the same path as the Trawick case. They demand swift and decisive action from Mayor Adams and the NYPD Commissioner, urging them to heed the Civilian Complaint Review Board’s (CCRB) recommendation to fire Lt. Rivera.
"New Yorkers need to know that those tasked with upholding the law are held to the same standards," the letter asserts. "Shielding Lt. Rivera through further delays or failing to fire him would only give more fuel to the specter of corruption that is haunting this administration."
“My family is thankful to the 31 elected officials that sent this letter to Mayor Adams and Commissioner Donlon,” said Samy Feliz, brother of Allan Feliz. “Given all the roadblocks the NYPD and administration have thrown up in our path over the last five years and the corruption scandals that are coming to light, we have no faith that the mayor and NYPD Commissioner will do what's right and fire Lt. Rivera unless it's extremely clear that New Yorkers will stand for nothing less. This letter shows that our elected leaders are standing with us."
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Background: On October 17, 2019, NYPD Lt. Jonathan Rivera (who was a sergeant at the time) and Officers Edward Barrett and Michelle Almanzar pulled Allan Feliz over on the corner of E 211 St and Bainbridge Ave for allegedly not wearing a seatbelt. Bodyworn camera (bwc) footage shows officers acknowledging that Mr. Feliz was wearing his seatbelt, but rather than allowing him to drive away, the officers escalated by illegally detaining him and attacking him. Lt. Rivera climbed into the passenger side of the car, tasered, beat and threatened to shoot Mr. Feliz, and then shot him point blank in the chest. After Mr. Feliz was shot, Officer Barrett yanked Mr. Feliz’s limp body from the car, exposing his genitals. None of the officers immediately covered Mr. Feliz or provided medical aid. Instead, they left Mr. Feliz to bleed out, cuffed, and exposed.
After years of delays and obstruction, in May 2023, the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) substantiated fireable charges against Lt. Rivera for the killing of Alan Feliz. The NYPD delayed the process further by failing to deliver the charges to Lt. Rivera so that a discipline trial could be scheduled for over a year. Finally, after multiple rallies and press conferences, the NYPD delivered the charges in June and a discipline trial has been scheduled for Nov. 12, 13 and 15, 2024. The Feliz family is calling for the Mayor and NYPD commissioner to make a swift decision post trial that accepts the CCRB recommendation to fire Lt. Rivera.
About the New York City Council Progressive Caucus: The Progressive Caucus of the New York City Council (PC) consists of 18 elected officials on the ne wYork City Council. The PC is dedicated to creating a more just and equitable New York City, and advancing public policies that prioritize working New Yorkers over corporate interests; fighting economic, racial, and social inequities; and advancing civil liberties. The Caucus is committed to helping progressives, inside and outside of City Hall, work together to more effectively achieve our collective goals.
About the Justice Committee: Since the 1980s, the Justice Committee (JC) has been dedicated to building a movement against police violence and systemic racism in New York City. The heart of our work is organizing and uplifting the leadership of families who have lost loved ones to the police and survivors of police violence. We empower our community to deter police violence, hold law enforcement accountable, and build people-led community safety through grassroots organizing campaigns, community empowerment, political education, our CopWatch program, and by developing safety mechanisms and projects that decrease reliance on police. By building solidarity with other anti-racist, immigrant and people of color-led organizations, the Justice Committee seeks to contribute to a broad-based movement for racial, social, and economic justice.
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