A recent lawsuit has been filed against the City of New York and several NYPD officers, alleging racial discrimination and unlawful arrests. On February 2, 2026, plaintiffs Jose Brazoban and Magan Doucouray submitted a complaint in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York against the City of New York, Christopher Kraemer, and unnamed officers John and Jane Does 1-5.
The case revolves around two separate incidents involving alleged false arrests. On April 18, 2023, Magan Doucouray was reportedly stopped by NYPD officers while shopping near 127th Street in preparation for a trip to Mali. Despite having committed no crime or traffic violation, Doucouray was detained for nearly an hour before being falsely accused of having an outstanding warrant. He was taken to PSA 5 and then Central Bookings, spending almost 30 hours in custody before a judge dismissed all charges at arraignment. This incident caused him to miss his flight to Mali.
In another incident on September 6, 2023, Jose Brazoban was driving near Brooke Avenue and 149th Street when he was allegedly unlawfully pulled over by the defendants. Like Doucouray, Brazoban had not committed any crimes or violated any vehicle traffic laws. Despite complying with requests for his license and registration, he was transported to the 40th precinct and held until the following evening without any charges being filed.
The plaintiffs argue that these actions constitute false arrest/seizure under 42 U.S.C. §1983 as there was no probable cause for their detainment. They further assert that the defendants are not entitled to qualified immunity under NYC law due to these violations. The complaint also includes claims of municipal liability against the City under Monell v. Department of Social Services of the City of New York for fostering practices that violate constitutional rights through inadequate training and supervision of its officers.
Additionally, the plaintiffs allege denial of their right to a fair trial as they were falsely charged based on fabricated evidence despite their innocence being known to the defendants. The lawsuit seeks compensatory damages amounting to $200,000 per cause of action for each plaintiff along with punitive damages determined by a jury. It also demands reasonable attorney’s fees along with other just reliefs deemed appropriate by the court.
Representing Brazoban and Doucouray is attorney Vik Pawar from Vik Pawar Law located at Vesey Street in New York City. The case is identified as Case No: 1:26-cv-00866 in front of judges from the Southern District Court of New York.
Source: 126cv00866_Jose_Brazoban_v_The_City_of_New_York_Complaint_Southern_District_of_New_York.pdf
