Christian Cooper, the black birdwatcher who demanded that "Central Park Karen" leash her dog and then recorded her reporting the incident to police on May 25, will not cooperate with the prosecution’s investigation, according to The New York Times.
The defendant, Amy Cooper, is facing a misdemeanor charge from New York's district attorney's office for filing the alleged false report, claiming in a 911 call that the "African-American man" had threatened her in Central Park.
Oh, when Karens take a walk with their dogs off leash in the famous Bramble in NY’s Central Park, where it is clearly posted on signs that dogs MUST be leashed at all times, and someone like my brother (an avid birder) politely asks her to put her dog on the leash. pic.twitter.com/3YnzuATsDm
— Melody Cooper (@melodyMcooper) May 25, 2020
However, Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance’s decision to charge Ms. Cooper does not have the support of the key "victim" himself.
Mr. Cooper said punishment may be a step too far given Ms. Cooper has already lost her job, her dog, and her reputation. The misdemeanor itself carries a maximum penalty of one year behind bars.
"On the one hand, she’s already paid a steep price," Mr. Cooper told the The New York Times in a statement on Tuesday. "That’s not enough of a deterrent to others? Bringing her more misery just seems like piling on."
"So if the DA feels the need to pursue charges, he should pursue charges. But he can do that without me," Mr. Cooper resolved.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio praised the DA’s decision to charge Ms. Cooper.
"Her racist behavior could have had dire consequences for a black man," de Blasio tweeted. "Glad she’ll face consequences of her own."
Good.
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) July 6, 2020
Her racist behavior could have had dire consequences for a Black man.
Glad she’ll face consequences of her own. https://t.co/l7yNVOX2uM
Mr. Cooper had said in his original Facebook post about the incident that he tried to offer the dog treats to de-escalate tension and convince Ms. Cooper to abide by the leash law.
"Look, if you're going to do what you want, I'm going to do what I want, but you're not going to like it," he told her before he pulled out some dog treats, according to the post.
Ms. Cooper then scrambled to grab her dog and screamed at Mr. Cooper to stay away.
To win the case, the prosecution will have to prove that Ms. Cooper did not believe in that very moment she was being threatened and that she intended specifically to file a false complaint against him, said Daniel Alonso, former chief assistant district attorney in Manhattan, to the The New York Times.
"A threat can be, 'I’m going to kill you,' or it can be subtle," Mr. Alonso said. "She may well have believed at the time that his statement was threatening in her definition."
"Central Park Karen" might finally catch a break if others rally in her court.
Join and support independent free thinkers!
We’re independent and can’t be cancelled. The establishment media is increasingly dedicated to divisive cancel culture, corporate wokeism, and political correctness, all while covering up corruption from the corridors of power. The need for fact-based journalism and thoughtful analysis has never been greater. When you support The Post Millennial, you support freedom of the press at a time when it's under direct attack. Join the ranks of independent, free thinkers by supporting us today for as little as $1.
Remind me next month
To find out what personal data we collect and how we use it, please visit our Privacy Policy
