Michael Stewart, 25, died on September 28, 1983, after an encounter with New York City Transit Police following his arrest on September 15, 1983, at the First Avenue subway station for alleged graffiti. An aspiring artist and model active in the downtown art scene, Stewart was reportedly beaten by officers during and after the arrest, including being struck with billy clubs and choked with a nightstick. He arrived at Bellevue Hospital hog-tied, bruised, and without a pulse, and died after 13 days in a coma.

The case sparked widespread outrage and became a symbol of police brutality and racial injustice. Artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring created works in response, with Basquiat’s painting Defacement cited as a notable tribute. Multiple investigations and a grand jury inquiry were held, but no officers were convicted in connection with Stewart’s death. Stewart’s death remains a focal point in conversations about police violence and racial inequality.

If anyone knew Michael Stewart or has information about the events around his arrest on September 15, 1983, please come forward.