Case dropped after white woman in racist NYC dispute gets therapy

The Manhattan District Attorney's Office onTuesday dropped the misdemeanor criminal charge against Amy Cooper, the White woman who called police on a Black man in Central Park last May, after she completed education and therapy classes on racial equity.

In the video Christian Cooper recorded of Amy Cooper, he sounded calm and appeared to keep a safe distance from her. But when responding officers arrived, she admitted that the male had not tried to assault her or come into contact with her, prosecutors said.

Assistant District Attorney Joan Illuzzi-Orbon said prosecutors were satisfied with Cooper's participation in the program, which she described as an alternative, restorative justice solution, and were not seeking to pursue the case any further.

The Manhattan District Attorney's Office has agreed to dismiss Cooper's charge of falsely reporting an incident because she completed a program meant to address racial bias.

The now famous incident erupted when Cooper took her dog to New York's Central Park last May, and a birdwatcher, Christian Cooper (no relation) asked her to follow park rules and put the dog on a leash.

"Psychoeducation about racial equality is woven into each therapy session to prompt understanding and reflection", Illuzi said.

Illuzzi says Cooper entered the program and completed 5 sessions, and her therapist reported it was a "moving experience" for Cooper and she learned a lot. Illuzzi moved to dismiss the charge, and the judge granted the motion, the statement said.

Cooper, who was sacked from her job at the investment firm Franklin Templeton, also issued an apology through a public relations firm previous year, explaining that she had misjudged Christian Cooper's intentions that day at the park.