NYPD Wrongly Arrest Man for Drinking Non-Alcoholic Beverage in Public
Shawn Randall Thomas was unlawfully detained and arrested for drinking a non-alcoholic beverage in New York City last month.
On August 28, 2015, Thomas was walking home while drinking a malta in a brown bag.
Officer Kevin McAlister (badge number 17304) saw Thomas walking with the drink and approached him demanding to see identification.
Thomas refused, stating that he wasn’t breaking the law. McAlister assumed that Thomas was drinking alcohol in public.
As the officer asked to see the container – Thomas refused. McAlister proceeded to arrest Thomas for “open container.”
Handcuffed and in the police vehicle, the officers recognized that the beverage in Thomas’ brown bag was non-alcoholic; so they let him go.
However, before they removed the handcuffs, police confiscated Thomas’ wallet, cell phone and identification, a clear violation of his Fourth Amendment rights.
Shawn Randall Thomas was unlawfully detained and arrested for drinking a non-alcoholic beverage in New York City last month.
On August 28, 2015, Thomas was walking home while drinking a malta in a brown bag.
Officer Kevin McAlister (badge number 17304) saw Thomas walking with the drink and approached him demanding to see identification.
Thomas refused, stating that he wasn’t breaking the law. McAlister assumed that Thomas was drinking alcohol in public.
As the officer asked to see the container – Thomas refused. McAlister proceeded to arrest Thomas for “open container.”
Handcuffed and in the police vehicle, the officers recognized that the beverage in Thomas’ brown bag was non-alcoholic; so they let him go.
However, before they removed the handcuffs, police confiscated Thomas’ wallet, cell phone and identification, a clear violation of his Fourth Amendment rights.