Two Drastically Different Stories Regarding Flatbush Arrest Last Week

Two drastically different accounts have emerged regarding the arrest of a woman in Flatbush last week.

Cops say Latisha Bellamy-Maldonado, 27, was arrested Friday afternoon around 1:20pm at 180 Woodruff Avenue (near Flatbush Avenue) and charged with assault of a police officer and resisting arrest, among other crimes.

But some residents claim that it was the police who assaulted Bellamy-Maldonado.

Bellamy-Maldonado was reportedly outside playing chess with neighbors at the time of her encounter with the police. The NYPD states that officers went to Woodruff Avenue on Friday afternoon because they were “responding to a job.” As they attempted to question Bellamy-Maldonado as part of this “job,” they claim they asked her for identification “multiple times,” but she refused.

We asked the NYPD why Bellamy-Maldonado was being questioned, but a police department spokesman told us he did not have that information. He did say that it was customary to ask someone for identification during an investigation in order to verify their identity.

The NYPD’s questioning of Bellamy-Maldonado was a case of “mistake identity,” suggests Imani Henry, spokesman for the Equality for Flatbush Project, which describes itself as a “people of color-led multi-national grassroots organization which does anti-police repression, affordable housing and anti-gentrification organizing in the Flatbush and East Flatbush neighborhoods.”

Henry, whom we have interviewed before, was not at the scene Friday but said that he received accounts from eyewitnesses. Police were looking for a black male in a hoodie, Henry says residents recounted. Bellamy-Maldonado reportedly responded, “I’m not that person.”

Bellamy-Maldonado’s attorney, Amanda Jack, told us that she was not able to speak about the case because it is ongoing, and that she was advising Bellamy-Maldonado to do the same.

Henry and the NYPD agree on one thing — after the police attempted to question Bellamy-Maldonado, things went terribly wrong.

The NYPD claims that Maldonado began to yell and scream, causing a large crowd to gather.

“Get the fuck off my block, you have no reason to be here, you can’t tell us what to do on our block, you rookie cops don’t know what you’re doing, we don’t fucking need you here,” Maldonado yelled, according to Brooklyn District Attorney filings.

Maldonado incited other residents to “yell, push and grab” at officers, the complaints reads. She then allegedly lay down to resist address.

At some point, Maldonado allegedly kicked a police officer — Carlo Cassata — in the face, “causing pain, bruising and swelling.” Maldonado was placed under arrest, during which she was “actively swinging her arms, pushing and lifting,” the NYPD said yesterday.

Today, the NYPD told us that Bellamy-Maldonado kicked Cassata in the jaw — after she was handcuffed.

Equality for Flatbush has released a Youtube video showing what they say is Bellamy-Maldonado’s arrest. Police can be seen standing over Bellamy-Maldonado as she lies on the ground. They bring her to her feet, and place her in a squad car.

In the clip, a police officer can be seen moving quickly toward Bellamy-Maldonado after she was placed into the car. Immediately after the officer’s abrupt movement, bystanders can be heard crying out that the officer kicked Bellamy-Maldonado.

Bellamy-Maldonado was “racially profiled, harassed and then physically assaulted by the NYPD,” Equality for Flatbush charges. Henry says eyewitnesses reported that police made homophobic and racist comments to Bellamy-Maldonado, and that bystanders were threatened with summonses, but we have been unable to speak with anyone who was present at the arrest.

Bellamy-Maldonado was arraigned on Saturday the 26th, and ultimately released without bail. Her next court date is March 31st.

In addition to three counts of assault and resisting address, Bellamy-Maldonado has been charged with obstruction of government administration, two counts of disorderly conduct, incitement to riot, menacing and harassment, the District Attorney’s office said.