Lawsuit filed against Clarkstown, police and emergency responders on behalf of Nyack man who died after standoff

The brother of a Nyack man who died last year after a lengthy standoff with Clarkstown police has filed a lawsuit in federal court.

News 12 has learned that Kevin Adams filed the civil rights lawsuit in federal court on behalf of his younger brother Sean Harris, who would have turned 21 on Monday.

He filed a lawsuit against the City of Clarkstown, the Clarkstown Police Department and other emergency responders for actions that the family says caused Harris’ death in May 2023.

The lawsuit alleges that Harris was playing video games in a Nyack home he shared with his mother when two social workers on a home visit called police.

Harris’ mother reportedly told police her son was not violent, but Clarkstown police said officers responded by finding Harris combative, making threats and holding a baseball bat.

After the door was broken down and Harris was hit, a media release from the Harris family’s attorneys said he went into the house and resisted police orders to come out.

The lawsuit alleges that police lingered outside the home for nearly three hours before entering with police dogs and finding Harris unconscious in a first-floor bathroom.

Although two ambulances were on the scene, it took more than 30 minutes for Harris to be taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Attorney Debra Cohen told News 12 what the family hopes to achieve with this legal battle, explaining that it’s not just about the money.

“I think the most important thing for them is that the facts and the truth come out,” Cohen said. “This lawsuit is a search for the truth and what really happened to Sean Harris.”

News 12 has reached out to the City of Clarkstown for comment but has not yet received a response.

Clarkstown police said they do not comment on pending legal proceedings.