‘Taser’ Lieut. Widow Says NYPD Caused His Suicide

THOMAS SULLIVAN: Pigott felt ‘vilified.’ The wife of an NYPD Lieutenant, who committed suicide after ordering the fatal Taser-ing of an emotionally disturbed man, plans to sue the city over what she calls his wrongful public scapegoating in the media, which he cited before killing himself at a Brooklyn command last October.

The notice of claim filed by Susan Pigott charges that Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly, Deputy Commissioner for Public Information Paul J. Browne and other unnamed police brass made defamatory statements to the news media and informed Lieut. Michael Pigott that his job was in jeopardy and that he might face criminal prosecution.

NYPD: ‘Violated Guidelines’

Police told the media that Mr. Pigott had made a “mistake” when he ordered the Taser-ing of an emotionally disturbed man who was perched on an awning, swinging a fluorescent light tube. After the man, Iman Morales, threatened cops while standing naked on the perch, Mr. Pigott ordered the use of the Taser, which sent the man plummeting from the awning to the street, with the impact killing him. Mr. Pigott, a 21-year veteran, was stripped of his gun and badge and demoted to desk duty after public outcry focused on his order.

One police statement said, “The order to employ the Taser issued at the time under these circumstances appears to have violated guidelines. . . which specifically state that ‘when possible, the [device] should not be used. . . in situations where the subject may fall from an elevated surface.”

Mr. Pigott came to “believe that his arrest and criminal charges against him were imminent,” the lawsuit stated in charging that the NYPD defamed Mr. Pigott, causing him emotional harm and violating his civil rights.

Eight days after the incident, Mr. Pigott shot himself because of the anguish he felt at being blamed for another man’s death and potentially facing the loss of his job, his family and his freedom. “I was trying to protect my guys that day,” he wrote in a suicide note. “I can’t bear to lose my family and go to jail.”

‘Humiliated and Shamed’

Mr. Pigott “suffered severe conscious pain and suffering with mental anguish, depression, embarrassment, humiliation, shame, violation of his civil rights, all of which caused the wrongful death . . . ,” according to court papers.

“Additionally, they placed the blame on Michael Pigott by stating, ‘Last year, we handled 87,000 calls to aggressive emotionally disturbed people. Obviously, the vast majority of them went well. You didn’t hear about them,’ ” the notice of claim stated.

Mr. Pigott’s lawyer charges that the extensive news coverage examining his role was bolstered by eight days of false statements by the NYPD, culminating in Mr. Pigott’s suicide.

Lieutenants Benevolent Association President Thomas Sullivan told Newsday that Lieutenant Pigott felt

vilified” by the media coverage. “The icing on the cake was the day after, when the department made a statement,” he said. “There was some community unrest . . . and I think the de- partment was backed into a corner to make some kind of statement.”