Gidone Busch

Gidone Busch was a 31-year old Hasidic Jew who was shot to death by officers of the NYPD on August 30, 1999 in Borough Park, Brooklyn. Busch, a mentally disturbed man also suffering from kidney disease was wielding a hammer and threatening police when he was shot. The killing was highly controversial due to the fact Busch was armed with a hammer and accounts of the incident varied widely.

Legal proceedings

On November 1, 1999 a Brooklyn grand jury declined to indict the four officers involved in the shooting, citing the fact that Busch presented a threat to the officers and had refused orders to drop the hammer.

Gidone Busch's mother Doris Busch-Boskey and her attorneys then filed a Federal suit, claiming Busch's civil rights had been violated by the officers. However on June 5, 2001 the Justice Department declined to file charges announcing they agreed excessive force had not been used.

Civil proceedings

In October, 2003 Ms. Busch-Boskey's lawsuit against the NYPD reached Federal Court. However, the Busch family was dealt another blow when on November 17, 2003 the jury found the NYPD and the city not liable in the death of Busch. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9506EFD61E38F93BA25752C1A9659C8B63&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fPeople%2fB%2fBusch%2c%20Gidone] However, on September 9, 2004 a federal judge overturned that ruling and ordered a new trial due to questions surrounding the testimony of NYPD officers. Doris Busch-Boesky however declined to pursue another trial, announcing her decision on August 27, 2006 seemingly putting an end to the tortuous legal proceedings stemming from the Busch case. [http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2361505]

References

Kifner, John. "No Charges Against Officers in Fatal Brooklyn Shooting." New York Times 2 November 1999, B1.

External links

* http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0350,little,49329,5.html