Volume 65, No. 79 Monday, AUGUST 5, 2019 50¢ NYPD judge recommends QUEENS firing cop who choked Garner By David Brand TODAY Queens Daily Eagle An administrative judge recommended firing NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo Friday, — August 5, 2019 — more than five years after Pantaleo adminis- tered a chokehold that led to the death of Staten Island resident Eric Garner. NYPD Commis- sioner James O’Neill will determine whether NEW YORK CITY’S RESTAURANT to accept the judge’s recommendation, soften Week mostly ignored Queens this summer, Pantaleo’s punishment or reject any penalty. but that’s OK with local gourmands and Judge Rosemarie Maldonado, the NYPD’s business boosters who already know which deputy commissioner of trials, made her rec- borough has the best food — and the best ommendation nearly two months after the Ci- prices. Read more on page 10. vilian Complaint Review Board wrapped up its case against Pantaleo, who they accused of using excessive force when he choked Garner A DORMANT AIRFIELD IN FLUSHING Activists march in Manhattan on the five-year anniversary of Eric Garner’s death last and dragged him to the ground. Garner’s fi- could eventually become the site of a new month. Garner died as a result of a chokehold administered by NYPD Officer Daniel school, officials from the School Construction Continued on page 7 Pantaleo. AP Photo/Craig Ruttle Authority said at a public meeting Monday. The meeting at City Hall was convened by the School Siting Task Force, which was formed in September 2018 to identify potential school sites in publicly-owned buildings amidst a citywide space crunch. Read more on page 7. Queens jury awards $51.8 million FIVE QUEENS CONGRESSMEMBERS verdict to man injured in car crash denounced American Airlines contractor Eulen America’s treatment of its workers, By David Brand following reports of workplace violations by Queens Daily Eagle the company. U.S. Reps. Carolyn Maloney, A Queens Supreme Court jury awarded a Grace Meng, Gregory Meeks, Hakeem Corona man who was severely injured in a Jeffries and Nydia Velázquez, along with a 2017 car crash $51.8 million at trial last month, host of representatives from other boroughs, a verdict that is among the largest sums ever called for Eulen and employees to settle their recorded for a New York City auto collision. differences and work together in good faith. The 44-year-old plaintiff was rear-ended Read more on page 11. on the Long Island Expressway and experi- enced numbness in this hand caused by a her- niated disk in his neck. His meniscus was also ROCHDALE NATIVE AND OLYMPIC shredded in the collision and the injuries have Gold medalist Dalilah Muhammad received required multiple surgeries. a victor’s welcome when she returned to her The crash victim was represented by attor- hometown Thursday, less than a week after ney Evan La Penna from the firm Elefterakis, she broke the 400-meter hurdles world record. Elefterakis & Panek. Justice Joseph Esposito Read more on page 10. presided at the trial. The other driver’s insurance company only offered a sum of $225,000, which was “woe- THE NYC HEALTH DEPARTMENT fully inadequate” to make up for the extent of will spray pesticides in parts of Eastern the victim’s injuries and his diminished range Queens in the overnight hours between Aug. of motion, La Penna said. 6 and Aug. 7 in order to reduce mosquito “Unfortunately, this is not the first time we have had an insurance company try to low activity and the risk of West Nile Virus. ball a client,” La Penna said. The spraying will occur beginning Tuesday The jury award includes roughly $5 mil- between the hours of 8:30 p.m. and 6 a.m. the lion for past damages, $36 million for future following morning, weather permitting. In damages and $5 million for future medical case of bad weather, spraying will be delayed expenses, for a total of $46.1 million. The until Aug. 7 or Aug. 8. Read more on page 10. overall total includes 9 percent judicial inter- Evan La Penna from the firm Elefterakis, Elefterakis & Panek represented a client who won a $51.8 million verdict from a Queens Supreme Court jury last month. Continued on page 2 Photo courtesy of Elefterakis, Elefterakis & Panek Continued on page 2 SAVE THE DATE 10.03.19 Tickets/Information: Michael Nussbaum (718) 422-7409 ‧ [email protected] PRESENTS Guardians of Justice guardians-of-justice.eventbrite.com Five Queens US reps show support for JFK Eulen airport workers By Victoria Merlino Queens Daily Eagle Five Queens Congressmembers denounced American Airlines contractor Eulen Amer- ica’s treatment of its workers Thursday, fol- QUEENS lowing reports of workplace violations by the company, which handles maintenance, bag- gage handling and other services at Kennedy Airport. U.S. Reps. Carolyn Maloney, Grace Meng, Gregory Meeks, Hakeem Jeffries and Nydia TODAY Velázquez, along with a host of representa- tives from other boroughs, called for Eulen — August 5, 2019 — and employees to settle their differences and work together in good faith. “Over the last several weeks, we have heard QUEENS STATE SEN. TOBY ANN troubling reports of worker mistreatment at Stavisky and Councilmember Peter Koo JFK Airport. The allegations made by Eulen highlighted the importance of taking window America employees raise serious concerns,” safety measures at an event on Friday after they wrote in a joint statement. multiple reports of children falling out of Eulen supplies American Airlines with them. A 3-year-old boy fell out of a sixth-floor workers at JFK Airport and other airports window in June, sustaining serious injuries. across the country. Employees are not union- Another child in Glendale fell out of a second- ized. floor window in April last year, suffering “Working men and women are the back- Eulen workers at JFK Airport went on strike in June to protest working conditions. minor injuries. Read more on page 10. bone of our nation, and we will always stand Photo via 32BJ SEIU with them for their rights and fair working conditions,” the Congressmembers wrote. leading the public. strike effort, claimed that there were dozens of A 34-YEAR-OLD MAN IN QUEENS WAS JFK Eulen workers went on strike in June “The union PR campaign is using non-Eu- workers on strike at JFK, and that Eulen was officially sentenced yesterday in child sex- being untruthful. The workers, the spokesper- after Eulen allegedly told its JFK Airport em- len workers in their protests locally to create trafficking case. Read more on page 10. ployees that they had to use all paid sick leave confusion. Our employees are at work, and son said, returned to work after one day. time accrued in 2018 or lose it, among other flight and passenger support operations are not This isn’t the first time Queens politicians have set their sights on Eulen. Councilmem- labor issues. Workers filed complaints with the being disrupted. We do not object at all if our AMID THE TRUMP ADMINISTRA- employees wish to unionize. No one needs to bers Francisco Moya, Jimmy Van Bramer and Department of Consumer and Worker Protec- tion’s strict policies and Immigration and tion. mislead the public about our company in order I. Daneek Miller rallied with workers at City Customs Enforcement crackdown, Queens’ Eulen workers across three other airports to choose the right to collective bargaining. Hall in May to protest Eulen working condi- immigrant population has more of a need than in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Washington, What we DO object to is inaccurate and unfair tions. D.C. also went on strike, citing bad working characterizations about us and how we treat “Everyone gets sick. Providing paid sick ever for quality immigration services. Western conditions, including no sick leave, no breaks our team members. Eulen America wants to leave isn’t generous, it’s acknowledging real- Queens lawmakers are trying to help answer and intimidation tactics from management, reiterate our full commitment to our business ity and responding humanely. I stand in sol- that need, with a $90,000 allocation to two according to a report from the Miami Herald. partners, our employees and our culture of idarity with the Eulen America workers at Western Queens-based groups dedicated to Eulen sent a statement to the Eagle at the safety and respect,” the statement read. JFK, with @32BJSEIU and for treating people helping the most diverse borough’s immigrant time of the strike, saying that there was no When asked about the statement, a spokes- with dignity and decency,” Moya tweeted at community get the vital services they require. strike occuring, and that the union was mis- person from 32BJ SEIU, who supported the the time. Read more on page 11. Queens County Criminal Court Calendar — August 5 — “I’VE BEEN STOPPED AND FRISKED; I’ve been arrested; I’ve been held in jail.” For LIC TEEN CHARGED in K23 for a conference. Guyana in June. Guyana Police Force offi- Janos Marton, running for Manhattan District WITH 2018 MURDER The alleged enterprise used an 800-phone cers apprehended Thomas in 2018, and he Attorney is deeply personal. Last week, the Shahid Burton is charged with second-de- number and wire room based in Costa Rica, has been in jail since that time. activist and former civil rights lawyer who gree murder for allegedly shooting and where sports betting is legal and where cus- The case sets a new precedent for U.S. has worked on the Close Rikers campaign killing a man in the courtyard of the Ra- tomers could place bets beginning in Janu- extradition cases in the South American na- and at the American Civil Liberties Union’s venswood Houses in August 2018.