This image made from Monday, May 25, 2020, video provided by Christian Cooper shows Amy Cooper with her dog talking to Christian Cooper at Central Park in New York. A video of a verbal dispute between Amy Cooper, walking her dog off a leash and Christian Cooper, a black man bird watching in Central Park, is sparking accusations of racism. (Christian Cooper via AP)
A white woman walking her dog who called the police during a videotaped dispute with a Black man in Central Park was charged Monday with filing a false report.
In May, Amy Cooper drew widespread condemnation for calling 911 to report she was being threatened by "an African-American man" when bird watcher Christian Cooper appeared to keep his distance as he recorded her rant on his phone.
District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. said in a statement on Monday that his office had charged Amy Cooper with falsely reporting the confrontation, a misdemeanor. She was ordered to appear in court on Oct. 14.
After the backlash, Amy Cooper released an apology through a public relations service, saying she "reacted emotionally and made false assumptions about his intentions."
"He had every right to request that I leash my dog in an area where it was required," she said in the written statement. "I am well aware of the pain that misassumptions and insensitive statements about race cause and would never have imagined that I would be involved in the type of incident that occurred with Chris."
Opening statements are expected in Atlanta in the trial of rapper Young Thug, who's accused of co-founding a violent criminal street gang and using his music to promote it.
Thanksgiving is all about spending time with family and friends, but it also comes with social obligations. Dr. Sheree Sekou, principal consultant at Sheree Sekou Consulting, joined Cheddar News to discuss how to navigate holiday etiquette and answered questions from Cheddar News staff.
As Americans prepare for their family feasts Thursday, a new survey named some of the most popular dishes on the table. Plus, Vogue released some of the top TV episodes to watch with family after dinner.
November is when Haiti commemorates becoming the first independent Black republic in the world. And 120 years later, the country's development continues. Haitian-American actress and humanitarian Garcelle Beauvais and Alex Cantave, senior program officer for Haiti at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation spoke with Cheddar News about their partnership to help the country's Pockets of Hope campaign, which looks to generate $90 million for education, health, and economic development initiatives in Haiti over the next three years.
