Cop-biting charges dismissed against NYC Council member
NEW YORK — A New York City Council member arrested for biting a police officer's arm at a protest against a proposed homeless shelter had her charges dismissed Tuesday after completing a "restorative" justice process.
Council Member Susan Zhuang was charged with second degree assault, a felony, and seven other charges following an early morning protest in July in her Southern Brooklyn district. She pleaded not guilty and contended she was trying to protect another protester, an elderly woman.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez's office said the police officer who was bitten, NYPD Deputy Chief Frank DiGiacomo, was supportive of the decision.
'This case was resolved through a restorative justice process that created space for dialogue, accountability, and healing,' a spokesperson for Gonzalez said in a statement. 'It was based on the wishes of the victim and the defendant's willingness to make amends. This is exactly what restorative justice is meant to do — address harm, foster understanding, and support a path forward.'
Zhuang and DiGiacomo met together just once, as part of a program operated by the Center for Justice Innovation, the spokesperson said.
Zhuang's lawyer Jerry Goldfeder declined to comment.
Zhuang is a Democrat and a member of the conservative-leaning Common Sense Caucus, along with Republican council members. She has aligned herself with the NYPD and was endorsed by the Police Benevolent Association in 2023, so her headline-grabbing assault shocked police brass.
'Councilwoman Zhuang has been a great partner to the New York City Police Department for a long time,' NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell said at a press conference after her arrest. 'But actions today, of assaulting one of our police officers, a deputy chief, by biting him viciously in the arm, I can't explain it right now.'
Months before her arrest, a crowd of mostly elderly Asian American New Yorkers had been gathering outside a vacant building in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, banging pots and pans in opposition to the city's plans to contract out the site as a shelter for 150 men. Zhuang has helped organize the protests, which have continued for more than a year.
Zhuang is Chinese, and she received energetic support in her community after the arrest. The legal defense fund she opened to help cover the expenses raised more than $65,000 in three months.
The dismissal was unconditional, and the case won't remain on Zhuang's record. But the possibility remains that she could face sanctions from the City Council. The body's Committee on Standards and Ethics opened an investigation into the incident in September but put all proceedings on hold until the case was resolved in court.
Zhuang is up for reelection this year and is running unopposed.
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