NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- A former police officer who said she was forced to take drugs, raped and beaten for years by other NYPD officers was approved for social security disability benefits based on the claim, the New York Daily News reported.
The Social Security Administration’s confidence in Maria Mendez’s allegations bodes well for her ongoing $90 million lawsuit against the city.
The decision was made by an SSA administrative judge in March.
Mendez filed a lawsuit in 2019 that detailed a hellish life of abuse and humiliation at the hands of officers at Harlem’s 32nd Precinct.
She said her co-workers would force her to take opiate painkillers to keep her complacent while they repeatedly beat and raped her over the course of four years.
Because Mendez quit her job as a domestic violence officer after 14 years on the force in order to escape her alleged abusers, she did not qualify for a disability pension.
The SSA court examined documented evidence and doctor testimony before concluding that Mendez suffers from PTSD, anxiety disorder and depressive disorder as a result of the alleged abuse.
“(Her) ongoing mental health symptoms and minimal improvement despite her years of treatment support (her doctor’s) opinion that (her) impairments significantly affect her ability to concentrate,” the SSA judge wrote in the decision.
The officers accused, who remain anonymous, deny any wrongdoing in court documents.
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