James Blake Responds to NYPD Departmental Trial of James Frascatore

New York –  In 2015, James Blake was brutally slammed to the ground and almost falsely arrested by NYPD Officer James Frascatore in front of a Manhattan hotel and allegedly mistaken for an identity theft suspect. After that incident, Mayor de Blasio and Commissioner Bratton apologized to Blake. 

Almost three years later, Frascatore remains on the force. He concluded a second NYPD disciplinary trial yesterday on additional administrative charges related to the 2015 incident with Mr. Blake, in the midst of continuing calls for Frascatore's firing.

In response to news of yesterday's NYPD administrative trial of Frascatore, Mr. Blake released the following statement today:

“It’s disappointing that the de Blasio administration and NYPD failed to notify me that James Frascatore was in a departmental trial yesterday related to the incident involving me in 2015.  But the lack of real punishment for Frascatore is the bigger travesty. Unfortunately, it is all too common for New Yorkers who experience abusive actions by police officers to be kept in the dark about NYPD disciplinary proceedings and outcomes,” said Blake.

"I would expect the common courtesy of a notification from a city that claims to be improving the transparency of how its police department operates. I urge the de Blasio administration to ensure that the disciplinary outcome in Frascatore’s case is shared with the public and with me, and not shrouded in secrecy,” said Blake.

“Frascatore employment with the NYPD should be terminated and he should not be allowed to sully the badge that so many other good cops wear with honor. The baseless claims made by Frascatore against me in the departmental trial are a desperate attempt to justify his unjustifiable and abusive use of force against me back in 2015. For him to still have a career path in law enforcement at all is saddening, because officers who unjustifiably use brutal force and try to operate above the law are a danger to all communities," said Blake.