#Detective says he’s being targeted because of his past lawsuits

An oft-sued NYPD detective said he has been wrongly accused in a new lawsuit claiming police brutality in the Bronx that happened long after he was taken off the street and put on modified duty — but the plaintiff’s attorney said he’s suing anyway.

Det. David Terrell, an 18-year veteran of the force who has managed to fend off most claims against him, said he’s been unfairly targeted in the suit filed in July that has just come to light.

“The best part is, I was on vacation,” he said of the April 26, 2019, incident that led to the suit.

“I have the roll call,” he added referring to the attendance cops take at the beginning of tours. “They must have just googled my name.”

But lawyer Sam DePaola said just because Terrell wasn’t on the street, doesn’t mean he had no part of what happened to his client, Thierno Bah, who was allegedly roughed up by a group of cops while walking in front of 1310 Sheridan Ave.

“Just because an officer wasn’t there when he was stopped, really doesn’t mean anything,” DePaola said. “Whether they’re assigned to desk duty really has nothing to do with it.”

The suit claims Bah was thrown against a wall and then the ground before he was cuffed, punched, kicked, shocked with a Taser, strip searched and then held for more than two days in custody.

“He suffered physical pain and injuries including lacerations, fractures and hematomas, contusions and internal bleeding,” the suit claims.

The suit says the cops being sued never saw Bah commit or prepare to commit any crime. When the case made it to court, the charges against him were all dismissed and sealed in November 2019, the suit says.

The officers “fabricate a false narrative” in which they claim he “trespassed, resisted arrest and even assaulted NYPD officers,” the suit claims.

But lawyer Eric Sanders, who has represented Terrell in the past, said the suit against his client is bogus because he wasn’t there.

“Here’s yet another FALSE lawsuit filed against NYPD Detective Specialist David Terrell,” Sanders said. “First, he hasn’t worked on the street for 3 years. Second, he’s never worked in the 44th Precinct. Third, he’s never worked with the other police officers in the street. Fourth, he’s never had any contact with the plaintiff. Finally, he wasn’t even working that night.”

Terrell has been sued at least 20 times but cleared of all but two cases.

The cases still pending include a claim by career criminal Pedro Hernandez, who sued in state Supreme Court after the case was tossed in federal court three times.

Detectives’ Endowment Association President Paul Digiacomo also defended Terrell.

“He hasn’t been on the street in three years,” he said. “I think it’s just amazing another individual trying to take advantage of the system. Our detective wasn’t even there.”

The NYPD didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment.