NYC Mayor Fired "Defamed" Officer for Following Instructions

By Jackson Kincaid

In Brief: 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams is being sued over the accusation that he ruined the career of his former Head of Hate Crimes Bureau, Jessica Corey. Adams claims Corey didn’t take a hate crime seriously. 

The Background: 

Inspector Jessica Corey filed suit against Adams and New York City, alleging she was defamed by the mayor after Esther Lee — who was spit on and called a “carrier” on the subway in October 2021 — accused her of downplaying the attack.

Her claim states: “Corey was subjected to utterly baseless statements, [and] her personal and professional reputation were destroyed. She was publicly embarrassed and humiliated.”

The New York Post reports:

“In her lawsuit, Corey, who still works for the NYPD, also accused City Council Member Julie Won of defamation for saying during a virtual meeting for the Committee on Public Safety on May 3 that Corey had dismissed “Asian hate crimes when they were reported.” 

Corey claims her handling of Lee’s case was “entirely appropriate and sensitive” including consulting with the NYPD’s Legal Bureau and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office which ultimately chose not to prosecute the case as a hate crime.

Notable Quotes: 

“I don’t want a leader in that area that starts off with saying why something is not a possible hate crime.”  – New York Mayor Eric Adams