Opinion ID: 2119749
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Matter of Meagher

Text: In April 1996, Justin Meagher, a police officer with the New York City Police Department, was assigned to a tour of duty with Officer Edward Ryan and assisted Ryan in the arrest of complainant, Constantine Moratos, for a parking violation. Moratos later claimed that he was wrongfully arrested and that the two officers used excessive force. Ryan accepted a plea offer of command discipline with a minimum penalty of forfeiture of five vacation days. Meagher rejected the same offer and proceeded to administrative trial. The Administrative Law Judge found Meagher guilty of the charge of using excessive force. The Police Commissioner adopted the findings and recommendations of the ALJ and imposed a penalty of forfeiture of 10 vacation days. Meagher then commenced this CPLR article 78 proceeding. Upon transfer, the Appellate Division modified the determination on the law, the facts and in the exercise of discretion by reducing the penalty imposed to forfeiture of five vacation days (272 AD2d 114). Again, the court noted that substantial evidence supported the determination but concluded that the penalty was disproportionate to the offense. The court determined that no record basis existed for the different penalties accorded Meagher and Ryan. In addition, the court ruled that Meagher's election to pursue administrative trial could not be used as justification for a higher penalty and that since petitioner's brief discloses that the Department has also withdrawn its scholarship support for his law school tuition    the penalty is disproportionate to the offense ( id., at 115).