NYC DA Bragg Drops Assault Charges Woman Who Punched Pro-Life Woman
A Manhattan assault case involving a woman accused of punching a pro-life activist during a recorded street interview has been tossed out after the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office missed a key evidence deadline.
The April incident, captured on video, showed 30-year-old Brianna Rivers of the Bronx striking Live Action activist Savannah Craven Antao in the face during an on-camera interview in New York City. Antao was left bleeding and required stitches, according to her attorneys at the Thomas More Society.
But instead of prosecuting Rivers for second-degree assault, DA Alvin Bragg’s office allowed the case to collapse in July when prosecutors failed to hand over required evidence on time.
“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 Thomas More Society senior counsel Christopher Ferrara. “Failing to prosecute these clear-cut charges sets a dangerous standard for how our society responds to violence against those engaging in democratic dialogue.”
The Thomas More Society says it will now pursue a civil lawsuit against Rivers to recover damages, including roughly $3,000 in medical expenses.
Video recorded by Antao’s husband shows Rivers ending her exchange with Antao before suddenly striking her twice. The footage captures Antao stumbling out of frame while Rivers flips off the camera and walks away.
Bragg’s office admitted responsibility. “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,” a spokesperson said, per Fox News. The office blamed the dismissal on the case being reassigned to a new prosecutor and suggested New York’s discovery law needs reform.
Rivers later tried to defend her actions on Facebook, claiming Antao was “antagonizing” her. “I understand hands being put on someone is never the answer, but throwing rocks and hiding hands is worse,” Rivers wrote.
The dismissal adds to growing criticism of Bragg, who has become notorious for targeting conservatives and President Donald Trump while turning a blind eye to violent crime in New York. Bragg was among several Democrat prosecutors to bring charges against Trump after he announced another presidential run, pursuing a case tied to bookkeeping records that legal experts have derided as politically motivated.
New York Attorney General Letitia James also targeted Trump with a civil fraud case, winning a $454 million judgment—only to see it overturned by a higher court.
Meanwhile, Trump’s attorneys have warned that ongoing prosecutions in New York represent “constitutional violations” against the president and the American people, with one filing noting that Democrats are attempting to derail Trump’s campaign through “unjust” legal action.
For pro-life activists, the Manhattan case is yet another example of a justice system weaponized against conservatives while violent offenders receive slaps on the wrist—or, in this case, no accountability at all.