New York City has settled with three Brooklyn men who sued the NYPD after police completely mistook Jolly Rancher candies for crystal meth, The New York Daily News reported on Thursday.
Plaintiffs Love Olatunjiojo, Omar Ferriera and Jimmy Santos received a $33,000 payday, and no longer feel stung by the NYPD after their arrests in Coney Island last year.
The city did not admit any wrongdoing on the part of the cops, saying they couldn't be sure whether the red and blue rocks were candy or illegal drugs, according to the plaintiffs' lawyer, Kenneth Smith.
"To my knowledge there is no evidence in the scientific literature that crystal meth looks like Jolly Ranchers or rock candy, other than from the 'Breaking Bad' TV show," Smith told The New York Daily News.
"Walter White may dictate what drugs look like in TV land, but not the narcotics policy of the NYPD," Smith added, in reference to the meth-dealing lead character of the popular show.
Olatunjiojo, 26, and Ferriera, 23, were halted by police shortly after leaving the IT'Sugar candy store on Surf Ave. where they had bought various treats, including Jolly Ranchers, according to documents filed in Brooklyn Federal Court.
Officers Jermaine Taylor and Jovanny Calderon handcuffed the men and stated that an undercover colleague had seen them selling drugs.
Sano, 27, was standing nearby with his 3-year-old daughter and protested the arrests of his friends. Officer Diana Pichardo called for Sano's arrest, and he was allegedly punched in the face by an unidentified officer before all three men were brought to the 60th Precinct.
Court documents filed in connection with the drug possession charges against Olatunjiojo and Ferriera stated that the officers had performed a field test on the candy and it tested positive for a controlled substance. Sano was charged with obstructing government administration.
The NYPD laboratory later concluded the two red and four blue "crystalline rocks of solid material" were not drugs and the case was dropped.
Olatunjiojo and Ferriera will pocket $4,000 each and $25,000 will go to Sano to settle their cases, according to papers. Olatunjiojo and Ferriera will receive less because officers determined during the booking process that there were outstanding warrants against them for failing to show up in court for quality of life summonses.
