Allegations of sexual assault against former New York City Transit cop Eric Adams have recently surfaced, prompting Adams to respond on Monday.
On Monday, Lorna Beach-Mathura, whose tenure at the New York City Transit Police Department was concurrent with that of the mayor, took Adams to Manhattan Supreme Court, claiming that he had approached her one night in 1993 with an offer of sexual favours in return for professional guidance.
Sylvia Hinds-Radix, the mayor’s corporation counsel, issued a statement in response to the announcement of a lawsuit involving an alleged incident that occurred 31 years ago. “As we review the complaint, the mayor fully denies these outrageous allegations and the events described here; we expect full vindication in court,” she added. “Moreover, it is absolutely absurd that the lawsuit claims that Eric Adams had any influence over the promotions of civilian employees. In 1993, he was among the most vocal public critics of the racism within the NYPD.”
The state Adult Survivors Act permits civil actions over certain sexual offences that would otherwise be banned by statute of limitations; Beach-Mathura initially filed a claim under this statute in November, but the current complaint is substantially more extensive.
Following her belief that she had been unfairly denied many promotions, she sought advice from Adams, who was a senior member of the NYPD Guardians Association, a fraternal organisation of Black officers, according to the updated paperwork.
Adams allegedly offered Beach-Mathura a ride home one night so they could talk about her situation; Beach-Mathura was one of the few Black employees at the agency (which was subsequently integrated into the NYPD). According to the lawsuit, Beach-Mathura was forced to perform a sex act by Adams after he drove to an empty lot on the Hudson River.
He allegedly undressed, pleaded with her to have oral sex, and put her hand on his privates, according to the lawsuit. The court record states that Adams allegedly masturbated in front of her after she declined, and he then left her off at the closest tube station.
As of this writing, Beach-Mathura’s lawyer Megan Goddard has yet to respond to a request for additional information or to schedule interviews with the anonymous witnesses Beach-Mathura says were there during the attack.
A jury trial has been requested by Beach-Mathura. She has filed a lawsuit against Adams, the city, the NYPD, and the Guardians Association.
Just before Thanksgiving last year, Adams vehemently denied any wrongdoing and said he couldn’t even remember meeting the woman when the original court documents were filed.
At an extensive news conference, his chief legal counsel at City Hall, Lisa Zornberg, went even farther, casting doubt on the accuser’s reliability.
“All we have is a simple, unspecific summons submitted by an individual who, according to public records and her own statements, is so aggressive in her litigation tactics that she has authored a manual on how to initiate lawsuits, encouraging others to mimic her actions because, quote, you might win,” Zornberg stated in November.
According to public records, the woman has sued multiple times over different issues, but so far, her lawsuits have not been successful, as AWN has reported.
Due to the case’s vagueness and Adams’ quick denial, he initially escaped political backlash, even from his opponents. However, it seems like that is about to change with the new filing.
In a statement given to AWN, progressive state senator Jessica Ramos expressed her concern about “the details of this suit.” Ramos is considering running against Adams for reelection in 2025. I admire Ms. Beach-Mathura for having the guts to come out. A lot of guts is required to bring up these traumatic experiences and demand responsibility. The city’s attention should be returned to restoring services to New York’s working families and reversing its budget cuts, so I hope this is rectified soon.