A Bizarre Tale From the Big Apple

BROOKLYN (CN) - New York City police burst into an apartment without permission and refused to leave until its occupant sang a rap song for them, the bewildered man claims in court.

Donyale Kitchens and Quinshon Shingles sued New York City, its police Det. Joseph E. Patton, police Officer David Grieco and three Doe officers, in Federal Court.

Kitchens claims the officers entered her Brooklyn apartment without permission at 8 a.m. on Dec. 4, 2011. She says in the lawsuit that the home of a friend of her son's had been shot at, and the friend, nervous about staying there, had come to her place for a while. The officers came looking for him.

Shingles, who is Kitchens's nephew, went to his aunt's apartment to see why police were there.

Kitchens claims that the officers arrested her son, his friend, and her nephew Shingles, who was handcuffed for the 90 minutes it took the officers to search her apartment.

Then, according to the lawsuit: "(U)pon learning that the plaintiff Quinshon Shingles was a musician (specifically a 'rapper'), the defendant officers asked him if he was 'any good.' The defendant officers then told the plaintiff Quinshon Shingles to show them some 'spits and bars,' specifically, to perform a rap song, and that if he was 'hot' they would let him go

"That the plaintiff Quinshon Shingles was thus compelled to perform a rap song for his freedom.

"That apparently satisfied with the plaintiff Quinshon Shingles rap performance, the defendant officers indeed released him and allowed him to leave the subject premises."

The plaintiffs seek punitive damages for unlawful search, unlawful arrest, unlawful imprisonment, failure to intervene, and municipal liability.

They are represented by Wale Mosaku, of Brooklyn.

Subscribe to Closing Arguments

Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.

Email *

Submit