Former NYPD Commissioner Plans to Sue Over Defamation Claims

Tom Donlon, the former NYPD commissioner and FBI agent, intends to initiate legal action against Mayor Eric Adams and his former spokesperson. The lawsuit stems from allegations that Donlon was characterized as an elderly individual with cognitive impairments.

He submitted a notice of claim seeking $10 million in damages for defamation. The claim alleges that the statements made by Adams and his spokesperson were deliberate and malicious, aiming to tarnish Donlon’s reputation and silence him as a whistleblower. His attorney described the remarks as an attack weaponized to distract from exposing alleged criminal misconduct within the NYPD.

Recently, the lawsuit comes shortly after Donlon accused city officials of running a large-scale criminal enterprise within the NYPD. Following these allegations, critics, including the mayor and his former deputy commissioner of public information, dismissed Donlon as a disgruntled employee and questioned his mental fitness. Adams claimed that Donlon refused to undergo a cognitive assessment and accused him of being “mentally not fit.”

Tariq Sheppard, another former NYPD deputy commissioner, also echoed similar criticisms during an interview on Pix11. Despite requests, no immediate responses were received from City Hall or Sheppard regarding the lawsuit.