Charges dropped against New York City Council member accused of biting NYPD officer
Charges have been dropped against a New York City Council member accused of biting an NYPD officer.
Brooklyn council member Susan Zhuang was arrested last summer and charged with second-degree assault after police say she bit a deputy chief during a scuffle at a protest over a homeless shelter in her Bensonhurst district.
Video showed Zhuang handcuffed against a metal barricade with NYPD officers on the other side. Police said officers were trying to stop protesters from pushing barricades when Zhuang allegedly bit the deputy police chief on the arm. A photo showed the apparent bite mark.
Zhuang pleaded not guilty to felony assault. She claimed she was trying to protect an 80-year-old protester who had laid down under a metal barricade, and she accused officers of pulling her hair and grabbing her neck.
The Brooklyn district attorney says the charges were dismissed Tuesday after Zhuang completed a restorative justice process.
The City Council launched an ethics investigation into Zhuang after the incident. Tuesday, a City Council spokesperson said, "Now that there are no longer pending criminal charges, the Standards and Ethics Committee's work on this matter will proceed. The confidentiality rules that apply to the proceedings of the committee prevent further comment."
Zhuang's attorney declined to comment.