Queens Widow Blames NYPD For Husband's Death
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A Queens woman is blaming police for her husband's fatal heart attack over a week ago, when she said they tried to write her a summons for not wearing a seat belt.
When Doris Hudson and her husband Robert, both 72-years-old, pulled into a Queens Village pharmacy on January 14, NYPD officers proceeded to conduct a routine stop.
When the officers were about to write up a summons for Mrs. Hudson because she was not wearing her seat belt, she was unable to produce identification.
Mrs. Hudson claims the officers made her husband walk a half mile home to get her I.D. Police officials, however, contend they never made Mr. Hudson return to his resident, but said he insisted on getting his wife's I.D.
Police also said the couple was informed they had sufficient identification at the scene to write the summons.
When Mr. Hudson returned with the I.D., his wife had gotten her prescription from the pharmacy, and police had written the summons based on the prescription information, CBS 2's John Slattery reported.
After the elderly couple drove off, Robert Hudson collapsed at the wheel and later died Franklin Hospital.
The couple's daughter Ernestine Hudson said her father died of a massive heart attack.
"They took away my partner, my best friend. They took everything from me," Hudson told reporters, including 1010 WINS' Al Jones.
"We hold these police accountable for their actions," Hudson's Attorney, Bonita Zelman, said.
Zelman plans to file a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of Hudson and called the situation "outrageous."
"They made him walk. They didn't let him drive his own van to give a seat belt ticket," Zelman said.
Meanwhile, with her voice choke in emotion addressing reporters, Doris Hudson said she felt lost without her husband.
"He was the love of my life and all I want is some justice for this," she said.
