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| Charges Dropped Against Brooklyn Mother Who Had Baby Ripped from Her Arms by Police | Charges Dropped Against Brooklyn Mother Who Had Baby Ripped from Her Arms by Police |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| [What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.] | [What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.] |
| The Brooklyn district attorney on Tuesday dropped charges against a mother whose son was torn from her arms as she was arrested in a Brooklyn government office last week, after an online video of the incident provoked widespread outcry. | The Brooklyn district attorney on Tuesday dropped charges against a mother whose son was torn from her arms as she was arrested in a Brooklyn government office last week, after an online video of the incident provoked widespread outcry. |
| The woman, Jazmine Headley, 23, was still being held at Rikers Island in connection with an unrelated warrant in New Jersey on Tuesday afternoon, and a judge was expected to hear a request from a public defender to release her immediately and not transfer her to New Jersey to face a previous charge. | The woman, Jazmine Headley, 23, was still being held at Rikers Island in connection with an unrelated warrant in New Jersey on Tuesday afternoon, and a judge was expected to hear a request from a public defender to release her immediately and not transfer her to New Jersey to face a previous charge. |
| The Brooklyn district attorney, Eric Gonzalez, said in a statement Tuesday that he was “horrified by the violence depicted in the video and immediately opened an investigation” into the arrest. He said a review of the case showed that it was not handled properly. | The Brooklyn district attorney, Eric Gonzalez, said in a statement Tuesday that he was “horrified by the violence depicted in the video and immediately opened an investigation” into the arrest. He said a review of the case showed that it was not handled properly. |
| “The consequences this young and desperate mother has already suffered as a result of this arrest far outweigh any conduct that may have led to it,” he said. “She and her baby have been traumatized, she was jailed on an unrelated warrant and may face additional collateral consequences.” | “The consequences this young and desperate mother has already suffered as a result of this arrest far outweigh any conduct that may have led to it,” he said. “She and her baby have been traumatized, she was jailed on an unrelated warrant and may face additional collateral consequences.” |
| On Friday, Ms. Headley was sitting with her 1-year-old son on the floor of an office in the Human Resources Administration building in Boerum Hill, where she had gone to try to get her child-care benefits reinstated. She had brought her son because his day care center told her the city was no longer paying his fee, her lawyer and a family member said. | On Friday, Ms. Headley was sitting with her 1-year-old son on the floor of an office in the Human Resources Administration building in Boerum Hill, where she had gone to try to get her child-care benefits reinstated. She had brought her son because his day care center told her the city was no longer paying his fee, her lawyer and a family member said. |
| After sitting for some time on the floor, she got into an argument with a security guard who asked her to move. After that, somebody called the police. | After sitting for some time on the floor, she got into an argument with a security guard who asked her to move. After that, somebody called the police. |
| A video posted to Facebook on Friday showed Ms. Headley shouting, “They’re hurting my son! They’re hurting my son!” as officers approached and tried to separate Ms. Headley from her son so they could arrest her. | A video posted to Facebook on Friday showed Ms. Headley shouting, “They’re hurting my son! They’re hurting my son!” as officers approached and tried to separate Ms. Headley from her son so they could arrest her. |
| The officers pried the boy from Ms. Headley’s grip, and one officer waved a stun gun at an outraged crowd, some of whom were filming the arrest on their phones. | The officers pried the boy from Ms. Headley’s grip, and one officer waved a stun gun at an outraged crowd, some of whom were filming the arrest on their phones. |
| Ms. Headley was charged with resisting arrest, acting in a manner injurious to a child, obstructing governmental administration and trespassing. | Ms. Headley was charged with resisting arrest, acting in a manner injurious to a child, obstructing governmental administration and trespassing. |
| The video of the incident drew fierce criticism on social media. Several elected officials called for an investigation, including the Brooklyn borough president, Eric Adams; the City Council speaker, Corey Johnson; and the public advocate, Letitia James. | |
| Mr. Johnson also held a rally on the City Hall steps on Tuesday to protest Ms. Headley’s treatment and call for her immediate release. “Every day that she sits on Rikers Island we are compounding this tragedy,” he said. He added that he was furious over what he saw in the video and that “anyone who saw it has an obligation to speak out and make our system better.” | Mr. Johnson also held a rally on the City Hall steps on Tuesday to protest Ms. Headley’s treatment and call for her immediate release. “Every day that she sits on Rikers Island we are compounding this tragedy,” he said. He added that he was furious over what he saw in the video and that “anyone who saw it has an obligation to speak out and make our system better.” |
| Mayor Bill de Blasio has yet to officially comment on the incident and ignored reporters’ questions at a police event on Monday. Later in the day, he said on Twitter that the video was disturbing and he had “a lot of questions” about how the arrest was handled. | |
| On Tuesday the mayor posted another tweet praising the district attorney for dropping the charges against Ms. Headley. “She should be reunited with her child as soon as possible,” he said in the message. | On Tuesday the mayor posted another tweet praising the district attorney for dropping the charges against Ms. Headley. “She should be reunited with her child as soon as possible,” he said in the message. |
| Earlier on Tuesday, Lisa Schreibersdorf, the executive director of Brooklyn Defender Services, said on “The Brian Lehrer Show” on WNYC that Ms. Headley was still being held at Rikers because of extradition proceedings stemming from a credit card fraud case in Mercer County, New Jersey. | Earlier on Tuesday, Lisa Schreibersdorf, the executive director of Brooklyn Defender Services, said on “The Brian Lehrer Show” on WNYC that Ms. Headley was still being held at Rikers because of extradition proceedings stemming from a credit card fraud case in Mercer County, New Jersey. |
| She said Ms. Headley had been in a car with four people when the police pulled them over and found stolen credit cards. Ms. Headley was quickly released afterward, Ms. Schreibersdorf said. But she did not show up for a court date in New Jersey, and so a warrant was issued for her arrest, though she was charged only with a misdemeanor. | She said Ms. Headley had been in a car with four people when the police pulled them over and found stolen credit cards. Ms. Headley was quickly released afterward, Ms. Schreibersdorf said. But she did not show up for a court date in New Jersey, and so a warrant was issued for her arrest, though she was charged only with a misdemeanor. |
| “She was a Brooklyn person, and doesn’t have any experience in New Jersey, and honestly, didn’t even know how to get back there, what to do,” Ms. Schreibersdorf said on the show. | “She was a Brooklyn person, and doesn’t have any experience in New Jersey, and honestly, didn’t even know how to get back there, what to do,” Ms. Schreibersdorf said on the show. |
| Ms. Headley, who has not had access to social media, was not aware of the attention that her arrest on Friday had generated, Ms. Schreibersdorf said. | Ms. Headley, who has not had access to social media, was not aware of the attention that her arrest on Friday had generated, Ms. Schreibersdorf said. |
| “She has no idea of the national outrage that’s been happening,” Ms. Schreibersdorf said, adding “she has no idea at all that she has become the face of this issue.” | “She has no idea of the national outrage that’s been happening,” Ms. Schreibersdorf said, adding “she has no idea at all that she has become the face of this issue.” |
| Ms. Schreibersdorf said Ms. Headley remained upset by the arrest. | Ms. Schreibersdorf said Ms. Headley remained upset by the arrest. |
| “She’s really struggling,” Ms. Schreibersdorf said. "She says it’s been the worst thing to ever happen to her in her life.” | “She’s really struggling,” Ms. Schreibersdorf said. "She says it’s been the worst thing to ever happen to her in her life.” |