Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

Victim in Morrisania Fatal Shooting Had Sued Detective for False Arrest

By Kate Pastor | August 31, 2017 11:05am
 Det. David Terrell has been accused of excessive force and civil rights violations in 11 active lawsuits.
Det. David Terrell has been accused of excessive force and civil rights violations in 11 active lawsuits.
View Full Caption
Courtesy of John Scola

MORRISANIA — The man fatally shot in the chest Tuesday night in the McKinley Houses was among the 10 people who had recently sued a Bronx detective for excessive force and false arrest, police said.

Julio Velasquez was found shot in the chest at 9:04 p.m Tuesday, according to the NYPD. He was pronounced dead at Lincoln Hospital.

Velasquez filed suit July 28 claiming he was set up for a fatal shooting inside a building lobby by 42nd Precinct Detective David Terrell and his partner, Daniel Brady, who intimidated and cajoled a victim and witnesses into identifying Velasquez and another man. He was charged with murder and attempted murder, among other crimes, in February 2014.

After Velasquez spent more than two years behind bars, the charges against him were dismissed without trial, according to the suit.

Terrell, who is the defendant in several lawsuits, also recently filed a $175 million Notice of Claim alleging that he's the victim of a conspiracy among unscrupulous lawyers and dangerous street gangs geared toward quick payouts from frivolous lawsuits.

John Scola, the lawyer representing Velasquez and several others suing Terrell and other members of the 42nd Precinct, said his firm was "very saddened by the death of our client Julio Velasquez." 

"We represent Julio in a lawsuit where he was falsely arrested by David Terrell for murder and was housed on Rikers Island for three years prior to his case being dismissed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends," he said.

Eric Sanders, the lawyer for Terrell's civil case, said that Velasquez's lifestyle may have been a factor in his death.

"It’s tragic when anyone’s killed. There’s no glee in it," he said. "These kids need help. This is a product of what they’re involved with.”