Long Island woman, 81, sues Nassau County for false arrest and malicious prosecution

An 81-year-old Hempstead woman who was charged in 2024 with punching a Nassau police officer and resisting arrest — but later had the charges dropped — has filed suit against Nassau County saying officers lied about her conduct and without provocation violently dragged her from her car, causing her to chip three teeth.

Betty Cater filed a lawsuit in federal court in Brooklyn, saying Nassau officers used excessive force and fabricated evidence as the basis for what she said was a false arrest and malicious prosecution.

The lawsuit names Nassau County, its police department and officers Michael Shannon, Anthony J. Catinella, Lt. Daniel Decastro and up to three other unknown officers as defendants.

Cater alleged that Catinella, the arresting officer, drafted a criminal complaint against her with "materially false allegations," including that she drove her vehicle "in his direction" and that he saw her punch Shannon in the face.

"At no time on Sept. 1, 2024 did the plaintiff punch defendant Shannon in the face or engage in criminal or unlawful conduct," the lawsuit stated. "The interaction between the defendants and the plaintiff was initiated by the defendants and escalated and exacerbated by their unwarranted and aggressive conduct."

Cater could not be reached for comment. Her attorney, Lonnie Hart Jr., of Brooklyn, did not respond to a message seeking comment Monday.

A spokesman for the county did not provide comment. A police department spokeswoman declined to comment.

The incident began at about 1:40 p.m. after Cater called police after a neighbor told her that a property she owned on East Clinton Street in Roosevelt was being broken into, the lawsuit said.

The initial officers on the scene were "professional and respectful" and directed Cater to remain in her vehicle, the lawsuit said.

But she said other officers who arrived at the scene later ordered her out of her car even though she "tried to explain to the defendant officers that the first officers on the scene told her to stay in her car."

"Instead the defendants cursed at the plaintiff to get her ass out of the car and threatened her with arrest. When plaintiff questioned what she would be arrested for she was told they didn't have to tell her."

The officers eventually "yanked open the door" and "dragged her out of the vehicle by her feet causing her to fall in the ground injuring herself."

Cater was wearing a dress and was exposed during the encounter, the suit said.

"The defendant placed his knee in the plaintiff's back and violently jerked her arms in an attempt to handcuff her," the suit said. "The false arrest was so violent, other officers intervened to stop it."

Cater spent four days at Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow with injuries to her arms, back, shoulders and knees, the suit said.

In an official police department news release issued after her arrest, police said "during the course of the investigation, the defendant became irate, struck an officer in the face with a closed fist and scratched him on the neck causing substantial pain, bruising and a laceration. While officers attempted to place the defendant into custody, she continued being combative and resisted arrest."

Cater was charged with second-degree assault, second-degree obstructing governmental administration and resisting arrest, the police said then.

According to the suit, all charges against Cater were dropped on Aug. 29 and the case was sealed.

A spokesperson for the Nassau District Attorney's Office did not immediately confirm that Monday.

Cater is seeking a jury trial and damages of an unspecified amount as well as legal fees.

By Nicole Fuller

nicole.fuller@newsday.com@NicoleFuller

Nicole Fuller is Newsday's senior criminal justice reporter. She began working at Newsday in 2012 and previously covered local government.