 Ramarley Graham | |
| Date | February 2, 2012 |
|---|---|
| Time | 3:00 PM (UTC-05:00) |
| Location | The Bronx, New York City |
| Type | Police killing of suspect |
| Deaths | 1 (Ramarley Graham) |
| Accused | Richard Haste |
| Charges | Manslaughter |
| Verdict | No true bill |
| Litigation | $3.9 million lawsuit settled against New York City |
The killing of Ramarley Graham took place in the borough of the Bronx in New York City on February 2, 2012. Richard Haste, a New York Police Department officer, shot Graham in the bathroom of the latter's apartment. The 18-year-old Graham was in possession of marijuana when Officer Haste tried to stop him on the street. Graham fled to his grandmother’s house, and went into the bathroom to flush the marijuana. Officer Haste forced his way into the building, kicked down the front door and then broke down the bathroom where he shot Ramarley Graham to death. Haste could be seen on surveillance cameras smiling and laughing with the responding officers and detectives—the same men who would later testify they had told Haste that Graham had a gun. Haste claimed to believe Graham had been reaching for a gun in his waistband, but no weapon was recovered.[1]
Haste was charged with manslaughter, but the charge was dropped. On the day the judge dismissed the charges, rows of NYPD officer lined the courthouse steps and applauded Haste as he exited. The blue salute took place right in front of Ramarley Graham's family. The city of New York settled a civil suit, paying the family $3.9 million in 2015 although the NYPD Firearms Discharge Review Board found the shooting to be within department guidelines. In 2017, an internal NYPD investigation explored whether Haste used "poor tactics" leading up to the shooting. The investigation led to a determination of fault on the part of Haste. He ultimately resigned from the NYPD rather than face separation of employment.[2]
- ^ Lysiak, Matthew; Beekman, Daniel; McShane, Larry (June 13, 2012). "Cops cheer NYPD Officer Richard Haste, charged in death of teen Ramarley Graham". New York Daily News. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
- ^ Haag, Matthew; Southall, Ashley (March 27, 2017). "Officer Who Killed Ramarley Graham Leaves New York Police Department". New York Times. Retrieved March 27, 2017.