Charges dismissed against Amy Cooper, who called police on Black birdwatcher in viral Central Park video
NEW YORK — Charges have been dismissed against Amy Cooper, the White woman who made national headlines last year when she told police that a Black birdwatcher in Central Park was threatening her and her dog. The charges were dropped after she completed a counseling program, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Prosecutor Joan Illuzzi said that Cooper, who appeared for a video court proceeding, participated in a “restorative justice” counseling program, which is typically available to first-time offenders facing relatively low-level charges.
Cooper, 40, was charged in October with falsely reporting to police that Christian Cooper, who is not related to her, tried to assault her during a confrontation about her dog being off the leash in an area of the park where the leash was required. Cellphone video taken by Christian Cooper of that 911 call showed Amy Cooper emphasizing the man’s race, prompting widespread criticism that she was making a racist attempt to exaggerate the threat. The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.