The Nassau legislature approved a $1.7 million settlement last week for an elderly Baldwin man last week after a 2017 incident in which he accused two police officers of hurling him down the front steps of his home.
Robert Besedin Sr. filed a 2018 police brutality lawsuit against the county following a confrontation with two Nassau police officers on his own property. The suit charged Officers Stephen Beckwith and Dominick Mantovani violated his civil rights and that the Police Department had neglected specific training and oversight.
A federal jury found the county liable last year for the police officers’ actions, which included battery and malicious prosecution, ruling that Mantovani was responsible for using excessive force. Besedin, an Air Force veteran, was awarded over $2.3 million, including $1.6 million for punitive damages.
Besedin’s attorney, Frederick Brewington, is continuing calls for police reform within the Nassau County Police Department, which he has been vocal about throughout the Besedin case.
“Settlements like this are important obviously to seek some quantum of justice,” Brewington said. “But they have little value unless the police departments and the county that’s paying for this [settlement], make systemic change so that these things won’t continue to happen.”
“These officers were never disciplined,” Brewington said. “The lack of accountability in Nassau County for the wrongful actions of its officers is astounding.”
In Besedin’s case video from a home camera contradicted police testimony. Police initially responded to Besedin’s home after he had continuously called 911 about a theft. The jury found that the police had exploited and abused the judicial review process.
“There needs to be a civilian review board, an independent body that can evaluate the wrongful actions of officers,” Brewington said. He said the department’s internal affairs evaluation of the incident was “shoddy” and should have been better.
The county and Police Department did not return requests for comment.
