The taxpayer-funded settlement gained’t be divided evenly between the three guards, Terrence Rosenthal, Leesha Bell and Angelica Weldon.
Somewhat, Rosenthal — who was allegedly assaulted by Pearson after which held in custody at an NYPD precinct for practically 24 hours after the Oct. 17, 2023 scuffle on the Midtown shelter — will get $150,000, whereas Weldon is receiving $125,000 and Bell $75,000, the paperwork dated March 26 confirms.
Their lawsuit, filed in Manhattan Supreme Courtroom, named Adams, the NYPD and two cops as defendants, along with Pearson.
Tim Pearson (yellow circle), a high public security adviser to Mayor Adams, seen in safety cam footage after the scuffle. A safety guard (purple circle) is pictured being arrested on the scene.
Notably, Pearson — who resigned as Adams’ public security adviser final fall after he got here below scrutiny in an unrelated federal corruption investigation — isn’t occasion to the settlement, which means the guards may proceed their case solely in opposition to him. All the opposite defendants are occasion to the settlement, together with Adams, which means they’re dismissed from the case with out admitting wrongdoing, the paperwork says.
Jason Steinberger, an lawyer representing Rosenthal, Bell and Weldon, declined to remark Tuesday when requested if his shoppers will proceed suing Pearson.
Pearson, who hasn’t been criminally charged with wrongdoing, is amongst practically a dozen high Adams advisers who resigned final 12 months amid federal probes separate from the investigation that led to the mayor’s personal corruption indictment.
Hugh Mo, Pearson’s lawyer representing him in federal issues, mentioned Tuesday that “like many of the government’s targets, we are just waiting on the government to conclude its investigation or come out with an indictment.”
Mo additionally mentioned he’s not frightened in regards to the guards persevering with the assault swimsuit in opposition to Pearson, arguing that it could be a “dubious” case. Mo did lambast Adams’ Regulation Division for settling the case, although.
“Shame on the [Law Department],” he mentioned. “That’s not how the City of New York should defend civil lawsuits. They are doing a disservice to the taxpayers of the city.”
A spokesman for the Regulation Division, which represented all defendants however Pearson in opposition to the shelter scuffle lawsuit, declined to reply to Mo’s broadside, however mentioned: “It was in the city’s best interest to settle this case.”
Arturo Holmes/Getty Pictures
Timothy Pearson with Mayor Adams at his Jan. 1, 2022 inauguration in Instances Sq.. (Photograph by Arturo Holmes/Getty Pictures)
Like Rosenthal, Weldon and Bell additionally allege they had been assaulted by Pearson.
Bell, in response to authorized papers, was subjected to an particularly disturbing episode by which Pearson wrapped his palms round her neck after which shoved her with such pressure that she fell backwards onto a counter, inflicting her eyeglasses to fly off her face.
The melee erupted when the guards denied Pearson entry to the shelter as a result of he refused to indicate identification. He confirmed up on the shelter to carry out a shock security inspection, an obligation Adams assigned him as a part of an unusually sprawling senior adviser portfolio, which additionally included holding vital sway over NYPD operations and migrant providers contracts.
The settlement comes after town Division of Investigation launched a scathing report concluding Pearson abused his authority and lied to NYPD officers in reference to the incident.
The report, citing physique cam footage and eyewitness testimony, alleged Pearson cursed on the guards and threatened to get them fired in the event that they didn’t let him in, whilst they repeatedly informed him they by protocol needed to see his ID to be able to present entry.
Oct. 1, 2024: Pearson out
New York Each day Information
Entrance web page of the Each day Information for Oct. 1, 2024.
Moreover the shelter scuffle swimsuit, Pearson faces 4 lawsuits filed by present and former members of the NYPD alleging he subjected them to sexual harassment {and professional} retaliation. In these lawsuits, the Regulation Division is offering Pearson, an ex-NYPD inspector who has been a detailed buddy to Adams for many years, with taxpayer-funded authorized illustration.
Adams, whose personal federal corruption indictment was dismissed in a extremely controversial method by President Trump’s administration this month, has solely defended Pearson, even since his resignation.
“I know Tim to be an optimal professional,” Adams mentioned in February after the discharge of the DOI report.
Initially Printed: April 8, 2025 at 11:26 AM EDT
