NYC DA Bragg Drops Assault Charges Woman Who Punched Pro-Life Woman
A Manhattan assault case against a woman accused of punching a pro-life activist during a recorded street interview has been dismissed after prosecutors missed a critical filing deadline, according to the victim’s attorneys.
The incident, which drew widespread attention online, involved Brianna Rivers, 30, of the Bronx, who was charged with second-degree assault in connection with the April confrontation. Rivers allegedly struck activist Savannah Craven Antao in the face while she was conducting an interview for the pro-life group Live Action in New York City.
The case was thrown out in July when the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office failed to turn over evidence on time, according to the Thomas More Society, a Chicago-based legal group representing Craven Antao. The organization said it intends to pursue a civil lawsuit against Rivers.
The Thomas More Society said Craven Antao required stitches at a hospital following the incident, resulting in approximately $3,000 in medical expenses. The group also noted that Rivers left the scene afterward, raising both middle fingers as she walked away.
“District Attorney Bragg’s shocking refusal to uphold justice only works to undermine confidence in the system, especially when our political climate has become as fraught as it is now,” said Christopher Ferrara, senior counsel at the legal organization.
“Failing to prosecute these clear-cut charges sets a dangerous standard for how our society responds to violence against those engaging in democratic dialogue.”
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A spokesman from Bragg’s office acknowledged his office dropped the ball.
“Every victim deserves their day in court, and our office has reached out to apologize to Ms. Craven Antao for the unacceptable error of missing the discovery deadline,” the spokesperson said, per Fox News. “We are taking immediate internal steps in light of this case.”
Bragg’s office said the filing deadline was missed after the case was reassigned to another prosecutor. The office added that Bragg has urged state lawmakers to revise New York’s discovery law, pointing to dismissals like this one as examples of the statute’s shortcomings.
Video recorded by Antao’s husband shows the moment Rivers ended a conversation with Antao and struck her twice in the face. The footage captures Antao stumbling out of frame while Rivers walks away.
According to the Thomas More Society, Antao sustained cuts that required medical treatment following the incident.
Rivers, in a Facebook post, blamed the attack on Antao for ‘antagonizing’ her.
“To Savannah, I sincerely apologize but cannot sit around and allow you to continue pushing this one sided narrative. I understand hands being put on someone is never the answer, but throwing rocks and hiding hands is worse,” she wrote, adding, “She knows the truth, and she needs to release the footage in its entirety. Savannah is a professional antagonist, not a ‘reporter’ and the truth will be told.”
Bragg was one of several Democratic prosecutors to file charges against then-former President Donald Trump after he decided to seek another term in office. In addition to Bragg, Democratic New York Attorney General Letitia James also took Trump to court, alleging he fraudulently inflated the value of his properties to secure more favorable loans.
James won her case along with a massive $454 million judgment that was later tossed by a higher court.
Lawyers for Trump in August 2024 requested that a federal court take over his New York criminal trial, claiming that he has been exposed to “constitutional violations” due to proceedings that conflict with the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity.
The attorneys noted in a filing that the “ongoing proceedings will continue to cause direct and irreparable harm to President Trump—the leading candidate in the 2024 Presidential election—and voters located far beyond Manhattan.”
“And an entirely unjust sentencing is currently scheduled to occur on September 18, 2024, which could result in President Trump’s immediate and unconstitutional incarceration and prevent him from continuing his groundbreaking campaign,” Trump’s legal team noted further.
