Latest news with #PatrolBrooklynSouth
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Yahoo
NYPD chief suing NYC councilwoman who bit him at protest, despite ‘healing' meeting
A City Councilwoman who dodged criminal charges for biting an NYPD chief at a Brooklyn protest could still face a judge over the matter — in civil court. Frank DiGiacomo, deputy chief of Patrol Brooklyn South, served his Brooklyn Supreme Court lawsuit against Councilwoman Susan Zhuang (D-Brooklyn) at her Gravesend home on April 9, a day after criminal charges were dismissed against her for the bloody assault, according to court records. Before the criminal case was dropped, Zhuang, 39, and DiGiacomo met as part of a 'restorative justice' program, according to the Brooklyn District Attorney's office. Cop-boosting councilmember who allegedly bit officer at Brooklyn protest accuses NYPD of 'brutality' and 'Asian hate' NYC councilwoman who bit cop hits sidewalk to raise money for legal defense Brooklyn DA drops charges against council member who bit NYPD chief — instead opts for 'restorative justice' NYPD chief suing councilwoman who bit him at protest, despite 'healing' meeting The face-to-face and ultimate dismissal of the criminal charges was 'based on the wishes of the victim and the defendant's willingness to make amends,' Brooklyn DA spokesman Oren Yaniv said in a statement at the time. 'This case was resolved through a restorative justice process that created space for dialogue, accountability, and healing,' touted the statement. But despite the apparent kumbaya moment, DiGiacomo is proceeding with the lawsuit accusing Zhuang of negligence and of leaving him 'permanently injured' and suffering from great 'trauma and distress,' court records show. DiGiacomo, who seeks unspecified damages, previously claimed needed a tetanus shot after Zhuang chomped on his arm while he tried to hold barricades in place at a July protest against a Bensonhurst homeless shelter. 'The lawsuit has nothing to do with the resolution of the criminal case,' Yaniv told The Post. The lawmaker had pleaded not guilty to all charges and claimed she was protecting an elderly demonstrator being manhandled by police. Neither DiGiacomo nor his lawyer, who initially filed the lawsuit on March 18 and waited three weeks to serve Zhuang with the legal filing, responded to messages seeking comment. Zhuang declined comment.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Brooklyn DA drops charges against Council Member Susan Zhuang who bit NYPD chief — instead opts for ‘restorative justice'
Criminal charges against Brooklyn Council Member Susan Zhuang, who allegedly bit an NYPD detective during an out of control protest, have been dropped after she completed a 'restorative justice' program. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez's office dropped all charges against the council member Tuesday, including second-degree assault, resisting arrest, obstructing government administration, and harassment after Zhuang completed a 'restorative justice program' which included meeting with the bitten NYPD Deputy Chief of Patrol Brooklyn South Frank DiGiacomo. 'This case was resolved through a restorative justice process that created space for dialogue, accountability, and healing,' DA spokesperson Oren Yaniv 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 is meant to do — address harm, foster understanding, and support a path forward,' he added. Zhuang and DiGiacomo met just one time as part of the 'restorative justice' program organized and operated by Center for Justice Innovation, according to Politico. Footage from the wild protest showed the first-term representative of the 43rd district screaming incoherently at police and tying herself to barricades in an irate display that culminated in her chomping down on the arm of the cop at a 'Residents Against Homeless Shelters' protest in Bensonhurst. Zhuang, 39, broke skin with the bite, leaving a bloody mess on the forearm of the deputy chief, photos from the criminal complaint show. The Democratic lawmaker claimed she was protecting an elderly woman also protesting the opening of a homeless shelter, whom she claimed was being manhandled by police. In the aftermath of the shocking assault, DiGiacomo sang a more ireful tune — supposedly complaining to a friend that the councilwoman was acting like she was the victim. He also shared that he required a tetanus shot because of the bite. Records show that in July 2024 — around the time of the protest — DiGiacomo received three complaints for physical force, restricted breathing, and a chokehold of an Asian female, aged 35-39. Those complaints are now closed. Zhuang had pleaded not guilty to all charges. Zhuang has not responded to The Post's request for comment.
