A conservative influencer who was punched in the face during a street interview in Harlem earlier this year is now suing her alleged assailant, arguing that Manhattan prosecutors mishandled the criminal case so severely that the charges were ultimately thrown out.
Savannah Craven Antao, 23, a pro-life activist known for conducting man-on-the-street political interviews, was struck without warning on April 12 while filming content in Harlem. The incident, which was captured on video, left her bruised and bleeding. Police arrested Brianna J. Rivers shortly afterward.
Rivers was initially charged with felony assault, but the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office later downgraded the case to a misdemeanor. According to court filings and statements from Craven Antao, the misdemeanor case was then dismissed in July after prosecutors failed to meet discovery deadlines required under New York’s speedy trial statute.
Craven Antao filed a civil lawsuit on Tuesday against Rivers, accusing her of assault, battery, and emotional distress. The suit does not name District Attorney Alvin Bragg or his office as defendants, but it describes the criminal case’s dismissal as the result of what it calls a “serious prosecutorial error.”
According to the complaint, the case was assigned to an inexperienced trainee under a “student practice” provision, and the failure to complete the discovery process on time resulted in the dismissal. Craven Antao’s attorneys called the lapse avoidable and argued that the prosecution should have remained at the felony level.
Bragg, whose office has faced criticism from both political parties over prosecution decisions, publicly apologized in September for errors in the case, attributing the outcome to a reassignment between prosecutors. His office said at the time that the discovery lapse was a mistake, not an intentional decision to drop charges.
The civil filing also alleges that prosecutors declined to pursue hate crime charges despite what Craven Antao describes as evidence that the attack occurred amid “mockery of her Christian beliefs.” The DA’s office has not commented on that allegation but said earlier this year that the evidence did not meet the statutory threshold for a hate crime charge.
Craven Antao told Fox News Digital this week that the dismissal left her feeling exposed.
“I have to look over my shoulder and worry about if somebody who supports her actions — there are a lot of people out there that do — that they’re going to try to do something else,” she said.
She added that the decision not to pursue the case further sends a dangerous message.
“What the DA has shown people, with letting this case be dropped, is that they can go assault somebody if they disagree with them and nothing is going to happen.”
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the civil suit. A spokesperson previously said the office regrets the earlier handling of the case.
Rivers could not be reached for comment, and her attorney has not issued a public statement in response to the new lawsuit.
The civil case is now moving forward in New York County Supreme Court. The criminal matter remains closed unless prosecutors choose to refile charges — something they have so far declined to do.
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