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A30 u.s. news
Diahuebs 15 OctOber 2020

White woman charged in racist NYC run-in made a 2nd 911 call

Illuzzi didn't get into de- cial media, Christian Cooper assumptions about his inten-
tails on what actions Cooper claimed her cocker spaniel tions.”
might be required to take, was “tearing through the “He had every right to request
but said the 40-year-old for- plantings" in the Ramble, a that I leash my dog in an area
mer investment portfolio secluded section of Central where it was required,” she
manager would have to take Park popular with birdwatch- said in the written statement.
responsibility for her actions. ers, and told her she should “I am well aware of the pain
The criminal process “can be go to another part of the park. that misassumptions and in-
an opportunity for introspec- When she refused, he pulled sensitive statements about
tion and education," Illuzzi out dog treats, causing her to race cause and would never
said. The range of options scream at him to not come have imagined that I would
could include some type of near her dog. be involved in the type of
racial sensitivity training or a Amy Cooper also warned incident that occurred with
public awareness campaign. him she would summon Chris.”
police unless he stopped re-
In a statement, Manhat- cording.
(AP) — Amy Cooper, the tation, Cooper told a dis- tan District Attorney Cyrus Amy Cooper’s 911 calls,
white woman charged patcher only that the man, a Vance Jr. said his office “will “I’m going to tell them there’s which happened the same
with filing a false police birdwatcher named Christian pursue a resolution of this an African American man day that Minneapolis police
report for calling 911 dur- Cooper, was threatening her. case which holds Ms. Coo- threatening my life,” Amy killed George Floyd, was
ing a dispute with a Black The second call was not re- per accountable while heal- Cooper is heard saying in the seen by many as a stark ex-
man in New York’s Cen- corded on video, but a 911 ing our community, restoring video as she pulls down her ample of everyday racism and
tral Park in May, made a dispatcher provided prosecu- justice, and deterring others face mask and struggles to fueled outrage in the period
second, previously unre- tors with a sworn affidavit re- from perpetuating this racist control her dog. leading up to street protests
ported call in which she garding the calls, Illuzzi said. practice.” “Please call the cops,” said sparked by Floyd's death.
falsely claimed the man “Using a police in a way that Cooper drew widespread Christian Cooper. It also inspired New York
had “tried to assault her,” is was both racially offensive condemnation and was fired “There’s an African Ameri- state lawmakers in June to
a prosecutor said Wednes- and designed to intimidate is from her job at investment can man, I’m in Central pass a law that makes it eas-
day. something that can’t be ig- firm Franklin Templeton af- Park, he is recording me and ier under civil rights law to
nored. Therefore we charged ter frantically calling 911 to threatening myself and my sue an individual who calls
Assistant District Attorney her,” said Illuzzi, whose last claim she was being threat- dog. … Please send the cops a police officer on someone
Joan Illuzzi-Orbon described high-profile prosecution sent ened by “an African Ameri- immediately!” she said dur- “without reason” because of
the second call as Cooper was Harvey Weinstein to prison can man,” Christian Cooper, ing the 911 call before the re- their background, including
being arraigned by video in a in March for rape. who had confronted her for cording stops. race and national origin.
case that had garnered world- walking her dog without a
wide attention but was put The case was adjourned un- leash. On the video Chris- Police said that by the time Cooper was charged under
on hold for months because til Nov. 17 to allow prosecu- tian Cooper recorded of Amy officers responded, Amy and an existing false-report law
of the coronavirus pandemic. tors and her lawyer to work Cooper, he sounded calm Christian Cooper were both that’s been long on the books
Cooper did not enter a plea on a possible resolution that and appeared to keep a safe gone. and doesn’t reference race.
to the misdemeanor charge. Illuzzi said could see Cooper distance from her. After the backlash, Amy “Fortunately, no one was in-
participating in a program to There is no relation between Cooper released an apology jured or killed in the police
In the first 911 call, which educate her and the commu- Christian Cooper and Amy through a public relations response to Ms. Cooper’s
was captured on a widely nity “on the harm caused by Cooper. service, saying she “reacted hoax," said Vance.
seen video of the confron- such actions.” In the video posted on so- emotionally and made false

After independent coronavirus test, NBC sets Trump town hall

(AP) — NBC News agreed for COVID-19 on Oct. 2 nonpartisan Commission on field said in an interview. News-sponsored town hall
to put President Donald and spent three days at the Presidential Debate was can- He questioned whether NBC last week. Like the Trump
Trump before voters in a Walter Reed military hospi- celed. In light of the presi- acceded to a demand by the event on Thursday will be, it
town hall event on Thurs- tal, took a coronavirus test dent’s infection, the commis- president, but the network was simulcast on MSNBC,
day after the president Tuesday administered by the sion shifted the format to a said in a statement that “the CNBC and streamed on-
submitted to an indepen- National Institutes of Health, virtual meeting, and Trump Trump campaign did not dic- line. Trump's town hall with
dent coronavirus test with NBC said. Both NIH clini- declined to participate. tate or request the time slot Stephanopoulos on Sept. 15
the results reviewed by Dr. cal director Dr. Clifford Lane nor express any preference.” was seen by 3.8 million peo-
Anthony Fauci. and Fauci reviewed Trump’s Both town halls will begin NBC considered it impor- ple, Nielsen said.
medical records and said they at 8 p.m. Eastern, but Biden tant that Trump be given the
The announcement Wednes- had a high degree of confi- will have the last word. The same format, day of the week Thursday's Trump town hall
day sets up dueling town halls dence that the president is ABC event, moderated by and length of time that Biden on NBC will be held out-
with Democratic opponent “not shedding infectious vi- George Stephanopoulos, will had last week — although he doors at the Perez Art Mu-
Joe Biden on a night the two rus.” last 90 minutes with an ad- will have a different modera- seum in Miami. Audience
candidates were supposed to ditional half hour of analysis. tor. Lester Holt hosted the members will be socially
meet for their second debate. Trump's ability to reach a Trump's town hall on NBC Biden event. In addition to distanced, required to wear
Biden is appearing on a simi- national television audience is scheduled for an hour. preventing viewers from get- a mask and submit to a tem-
lar town hall event in Phila- on Thursday was in part de- Critics of NBC questioned ting a side-by-side compari- perature check before enter-
delphia, televised by ABC. pendent on Fauci, who had why the network scheduled son of the two men, the duel- ing the venue, NBC said.
It also subjected NBC News expressed anger at the Trump Trump for the same time, ing events will likely be seen
to a sharp backlash on social campaign in recent days for making viewers have to by far fewer people.
media, where a call to boycott using one of his statements in choose if they were interest-
the network was a trending a campaign ad. The coronavi- ed in seeing both candidates The first debate between
topic on Twitter. rus task force member said a react live in a similar format. the two men last month was
quote used in the campaign Veteran journalist Jeff Green- watched by an estimated 73.1
NBC said Trump would be ad was taken out of context. field called it “indefensible” million people, the Nielsen
at least 12 feet (3.66 meters) A formal matchup between in a Twitter post. company said.
from moderator Savannah the Republican president and
Guthrie and the audience. Biden that was scheduled for “They rewarded Trump by An estimated 6.7 million
Trump, who tested positive Thursday in Miami by the giving him this time,” Green- people saw Biden at an NBC