Abner Louima | |
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![]() Louima in 2000 | |
Born | Thomassin, Haiti | November 24, 1966
Nationality | Haitian American |
Alma mater | Ecole Nationale des Arts Métiers |
Occupations |
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Organization | Abner Louima Foundation |
Known for | 1997 police brutality victim |
Abner Louima (born November 24, 1966[1] in Thomassin, Haiti) is a Haitian American man who, in 1997, was physically attacked, brutalized, and raped by officers of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) after he was arrested outside a Brooklyn nightclub. His injuries were so severe that he required three major surgeries.
Officers responsible for the attack were charged and convicted in federal court, and Justin Volpe was sentenced to federal prison to serve a 30-year sentence. In 2001, Louima received a US$8.75 million settlement (equivalent to about $15M in 2023) in his civil suit against the city for police brutality, the largest civil settlement at that time for such abuse. He has set up the Abner Louima Foundation to establish a hospital and community centers in Haiti, Florida, and New York for Haitian residents, immigrants, and others in need.