Death of Michael Stewart
| Death of Michael Stewart | |
|---|---|
| Location | First Avenue station, New York City Subway |
| Date | September 15, 1983 2:50 a.m. |
| Target | Michael Stewart |
Attack type | Alleged police brutality |
| Deaths | 1 |
| Victims | Michael Stewart |
| Perpetrators | New York City Transit Police officers |
| Motive | Alleged excessive force during arrest. Disputed accounts exist regarding Stewart's behavior. |
| Inquiry | Grand jury investigations internal police investigations |
| Coroner | Elliot M. Gross (disputed findings) |
| Charges | Criminally negligent homicide, assault, perjury |
| Verdict | Not guilty |
| Convictions | None |
| Litigation | Civil lawsuit settled for $1.7 million |
| Judge | George F. Roberts |
Michael Jerome Stewart (May 9, 1958 – September 28, 1983) was an African-American man arrested by New York City Transit Police officers for writing graffiti in soft-tip marker or using an aerosol can on a New York City Subway wall at the First Avenue station. His treatment while in police custody and the ensuing trials of the arresting officers (all of whom were acquitted) sparked debate concerning police brutality and the responsibilities of arresting officials in handling suspects.
Word of the arrest came out on September 15, 1983, as the Committee Against Racially Motivated Police Violence was holding a news conference to publicize a United States Congress hearing into complaints of police abuse. Stewart had been arrested earlier that day. He died at age 25, on September 28, after 13 days in a coma. The cause of death was listed as cardiac arrest.