Last year, the federal authorities charged a police officer for violating the civil rights of a 31-year-old black man, claiming that officer Michael Daragjati falsely arrested him can called him a "n-----" Now, Daragjati's lawyer says they have a plea scheduled.

On April 15th, Daragjati and his partner stopped an unidentified 31-year-old black man who was walking alone with his hands in his pockets in the Stapleton section of Staten Island. Daragjati allegedly pushed the man against a parked van and "roughly" frisked him. Finding nothing, the individual was sent on his way, but while walking away, the man insulted Daragjati, who then arrested him. From the FBI:

After the victim complained about his treatment during the stop and frisk, Daragjati arrested him. The complaint alleges that although the victim did not resist arrest, Daragjati falsely wrote in a police report that the victim had flailed his arms and kicked his legs during the arrest, purportedly justifying a resisting arrest charge. The following day, Daragjati swore out a complaint containing similar false statements, which was filed in Richmond County Criminal Court. As a result, the victim was held in custody for approximately 36 hours.

The day he swore out the complaint, the government intercepted a telephone call between Daragjati and a friend. As detailed in the complaint, while referring to the victim’s arrest and prosecution, Daragjati told the friend that he had “fried another nigger.” The government subsequently intercepted several additional calls during which Daragjati allegedly used the word “nigger” to refer to African-Americans. In other intercepted calls Daragjati stated that he risked getting fired if he was caught “throw[ing] somebody a beating” and complained that it was too easy for police officers to get in trouble. He then admitted that he had been “skating it for a long time.”

While attorney Eric Franz would not elaborate on the details of the plea (his client was also accused of extorting people in his construction and snow plowing side business), he did tell reporters, "Race played no part in the decision he made in effectuating the arrest of the individual in question."

The plea is scheduled for January 24.