A Brooklyn man is suing New York City for false arrest after being jailed on fraud charges that were ultimately dropped.
Lamont Hamilton, 31, was arrested in January 2015 on charges of opening a fraudulent account at a Chase bank and subsequently trying to withdraw large sums of money. However, he claims he is a victim of identity theft, having had his wallet stolen in 2013. His lawsuit alleges that security footage from the bank clearly shows the perpetrator is not Hamilton and that investigators failed to examine that evidence.
On April 13, 2015, after Hamilton had been at Rikers Island for several months, prosecutors dropped the charges against him. He is suing the city, J.P. Morgan Chase, and several police officers for $5 million.
If the allegations in Hamilton’s suit are true, there is no excuse for the lack of investigative diligence and the foot-dragging that left him languishing in jail for months. At the time Hamilton claims his wallet was stolen, he was on parole for an earlier robbery conviction. Unfortunately, police and prosecutors often are quick to assume that former convicts are probably guilty of charges against them, and this can lead them to cut corners.
Anyone accused of fraud or other serious white-collar crimes needs strong legal representation. If you face criminal charges, an experienced attorney will get you out of jail as fast as possible and critically examine all available evidence. If you need legal defense, call the Brill Legal Group.
