Woman set to be arraigned on trespassing, drug charges gives birth in Brooklyn courthouse
Community members are now calling for action to protest inhumane conditions in Brooklyn criminal court, claiming the woman was handcuffed to a bench in the courtroom while giving birth.
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The Brooklyn District Attorney's Office says a woman who was in court for trespassing and drug possession charges gave birth inside the Brooklyn Federal Courthouse.
Community members are now calling for action to protest inhumane conditions in Brooklyn Criminal Court, claiming the woman was handcuffed on a bench in the courtroom while giving birth.
In a statement from the Legal Aid Society, advocates say that the woman "gave birth in shackles inside a Brooklyn courtroom after reportedly spending more than 24 hours in custody. Attorneys and staff from The Legal Aid Society and Brooklyn Defender Services who were present in the courtroom witnessed her labor and deliver her child on a courtroom bench without adequate medical care, privacy, or dignity, surrounded by court personnel, prosecutors, law enforcement officers, and others."
Sources tell News 12 that despite what advocates are claiming, the woman was not in leg shackles in the courtroom and that court officers helped her deliver the child.
Additionally, sources say she did have handcuffs on. However, when Unified Court System officers noticed that the woman was in distress, she was moved to comfort, and police officers removed her handcuffs.
“Our team of uniformed UCS officers acted with swift professionalism to ensure the safety and sanctity of life for all individuals in Court on Friday, personifying the everyday virtues of their sworn service. We are delighted both mother and baby are well," said a spokesperson from the New York Office of Court Administration.
However, paralegals who were in the room and spoke with News 12 on the record maintain she was in handcuffs as she gave birth.
"The baby was unfortunately not delivered by the officer. The officer took her pants off and removed the baby, who was hanging in the leg above her sweatpants. So she completed delivery with her hands behind her back, on the bench," said Legal Aid Society Paralegal Elena Beeley, who was present during the arraignment.
“Arraignments have become a place where people now die in cuffs and give birth in cuffs. Multiple systems are failing to ensure that our clients are treated with humanity. Without systemic change, these violations will continue and more New Yorkers will suffer or die,” said Lisa Ohta, President of UAW 2325, Association of Legal Advocates and Attorneys.
Members of the ALAA called for an end to arraignments for low-level offenses, as they marched from the courthouse to the Brooklyn DA's office, arguing the woman should not have been in court for her offense.
"These are often dismissed outright, but only when a judge sees cases like these days later, where people do not have a phone, cannot contact anyone, and some of the most common cases we see are for fare evasion, taking up two seats on a subway or low-level possession," said Legal Aid Society Staff Attorney Olga Karounos.
Karounos says the Legal Aid Society is calling for the Brooklyn DA to investigate why the woman was taken to the hospital earlier in the day, before being discharged and sent back to court, where she gave birth hours later.
