True Master, a longtime producer for Wu-Tang Clan, is suing the New York Police Department for wrongful imprisonment after being vindicated of charges brought on by a rape accusation. He is being represented by renowned civil rights attorney, Ben Crump.
True Master, whose legal name is Derrick Harris, was accused of attempting to rape a woman back in 2011. He received partial acquittal in 2015 and was fully vindicated in 2020.
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Harris claims that the NYPD falsified and hid evidence that would have cleared him of the crime much sooner.
“Throughout the near-decade of torment, the defendants were presented with opportunity after opportunity to change course and ‘right this wrong,’” the lawsuit reads. “Time and time again, when faced with the choice to do the right thing, the defendants relentlessly chose to continue down the wrong path.”
The lawsuit continued: “Defendants were in possession of this Medical Examiner Report as early as September 26, 2011, yet continued prosecution of Mr. Harris for years leading up to this trial of 2015 despite access to conclusive evidence of innocence.”
One of Harris’ attorneys, Craig Phemister, says that the arrest derailed his life.
“He lost everything,” Phemister said. “He had a million-dollar brownstone in Harlem prior to this. He was a successful, award-winning music producer. All gone. The NYPD, the system, must change.”
Harris and his legal team currently have a petition up on change.org calling for the termination of Officer Pabon.
[Via]