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U.S. NEWS Thursday 22 June 2017

James Blake agrees not to sue NYC in exchange for fellowship

By COLLEEN LONG and the city will fund it for ter the 2013 U.S. Open, had
Associated Press six years. The salary will be been mistakenly identified
NEW YORK (AP) — Ten- commensurate with other as being part of a cell-
nis star James Blake has staff there and will be no phone fraud scheme. He
agreed to drop his right to less than $65,000, officials was mistaken for a crime
sue New York after he was said. suspect who looks just like
mistakenly arrested and The fellow’s job will be to him, police said at the time.
tackled by police. In ex- help navigate the system Surveillance video sur-
change, a legal fellowship for people making com- faced from outside the
will be created in his name plaints against police, and hotel that showed Police
that will bolster the work of to push for strong investiga- Officer James Frascatore
the city’s police watchdog tions. grabbing Blake’s arm and
agency. Blake was tackled out- roughly taking him to the
The city and Blake’s at- side a Manhattan hotel on ground. An excessive force
torney announced the Sept. 9, 2015, by a police complaint was substanti-
agreement Wednesday. officer and handcuffed. ated by the civilian review
The fellow will serve two- Police said Blake, who had board. Frascatore’s inter-
year terms at the Civilian ranked as high as No. 4 in nal case is pending. His
Complaint Review Board the world before retiring af- lawyer had no comment.

Times Square car crash victims Mayor Bill de Blasio and In this Sept. 21, 2015, file photo, James Blake arrives at New
then-Police Commissioner
graduate from high school William Bratton both apol- York’s City Hall. Associated Press
ogized to Blake at the time.
Blake’s attorney said Kevin Marino. travel expenses for Blake
Wednesday that the fel- Blake said in a statement and his team.
lowship is a compromise that he wanted to thank “Transparency and ac-
that would do the most the city of New York. countability are critical to
good for the city. “It has been my intention further strengthening the
“This was created to get since Day One to turn a bonds between law en-
a more intensive focus on negative into a positive, forcement officials and the
the issue of excessive force and I think this fellowship communities they serve.
and to have an indepen- accomplishes that goal,” The James Blake CCRB Fel-
dent person brought into he said. lowship is rooted in this ad-
city government at the De Blasio, a Democrat, ministration’s deep com-
city’s expense to address praised the agreement, mitment to improving those
this very significant prob- which also included about relations,” the mayor said
lem,” said the attorney, $175,000 in legal fees and in a statement.q

Dunellen High School senior Destiny Lightfoot, left, receives a
kiss on the cheek from Elaine Williams, the mother of classmate
Jessica Williams, shortly before receiving her diploma during
graduation ceremonies Wednesday, June 21, 2017, in Dunellen,
N.J.
Associated Press
DUNELLEN, N.J. (AP) — Two Williams is still hospitalized.
New Jersey high school stu- Her mother received the
dents who were mowed diploma on her behalf. The
down by a driver in Times mother wore the daugh-
Square and were seriously ter’s cap as she and Light-
injured have graduated foot received a standing
even though one of them ovation.
is still hospitalized. Richard Rojas is accused of
Dunellen High School se- killing one pedestrian and
niors Destiny Lightfoot and injuring 22 others by inten-
Jessica Williams received tionally driving his car onto
their diplomas Wednesday. a Times Square sidewalk
Lightfoot arrived for the last month. He was arrest-
ceremony in a wheelchair. ed on murder charges. He
She stood with the aid of says he doesn’t remember
crutches to accept her di- what happened.q
ploma.