Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Manhattan DA Will Prosecute White Woman Who Called Police On Black Bird Watcher
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Jul 6, 2020
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Christian Cooper
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Jul 6, 2020
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The Manhattan District Attorney will prosecute Amy Cooper, the white woman whose racist confrontation with a Black bird watcher in Central Park touched off widespread controversy this past May.
Manhattan DA Cy Vance announced the misdemeanor charge in a short statement on Monday afternoon. “Today our office initiated a prosecution of Amy Cooper for falsely reporting an incident in the third degree,” he said. “We are strongly committed to holding perpetrators of this conduct accountable.”
Cooper was issued a desk appearance ticket. She faces up to a year in jail if convicted.
The charge stems from a widely circulated video taken of Cooper in the Central Park Ramble over Memorial Day Weekend. After a Black man requested Cooper place her cocker spaniel on a leash, the white woman dialed 911, informing the operator, "There's an African-American threatening my life."
Cooper repeatedly emphasized the man's race, her voice growing more distressed as she claimed that she was in imminent danger, despite video showing her approaching the bird watcher, Christian Cooper (no relation).
Video of the incident, which occurred the same day as George Floyd's murder in Minneapolis, quickly racked up millions of views, and nearly unanimous condemnation from New Yorkers. Within days, Cooper had lost her job at a finance firm and surrendered her rescue dog to a shelter.
While local lawmakers called for criminal penalties against Cooper, NYPD leaders initially dismissed the idea, claiming, “We’ve got bigger fish to fry.”
A spokesperson for the NYPD did not immediately respond to Gothamist's questions about the charges.
The New York City Commission on Human Rights initiated their own investigation in May, which could result in a restorative justice process or potentially civil penalties, a spokesperson for the agency said at the time. The status of that investigation investigation is unclear
Cooper is scheduled to be arraigned on October 14th.
"Our office will provide the public with additional information as the case proceeds," Vance said. "At this time I would like to encourage anyone who has been the target of false reporting to contact our Office."
Tagged
amy cooper
ramble
central park
Jake Offenhartz
Jake Offenhartz is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Deer are all over New Jersey roads looking for sex, state officials warn
Mid-October through mid-December is deer mating season, which can be a danger to drivers as the sex-seeking creatures cross roadways throughout the Garden State.
By
Rosemary Misdary
Published Oct 16, 2026 at 4:22 p.m. ET
Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say
A transcript from an April court hearing sheds new light on what transpired at Fashion Institute of Technology.
By
Samantha Max
News
Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say
A transcript from an April court hearing sheds new light on what transpired at Fashion Institute of Technology.
By
Samantha Max
Inside the plan to fix the nearly collapsed Pfizer Building, 1/64th of an inch at a time
By
David Brand
School bus carrying autistic students got lost in Brooklyn for 4 hours last year
By
Jessica Gould
NYC’s bridges can last 'forever,' if we take care of them
By
Clayton Guse
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .