NEW YORK, NY - In a shocking new development in the case of Savannah Craven Antao, the young pro-life advocate who was punched in the face on video during a peaceful “woman on the street” video in Manhattan, District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office has doubled down on its refusal to prosecute her assailant, Brianna Rivers, even after Thomas More Society attorneys presented evidence showing that prosecution was still legally possible.

After national backlash over Bragg’s mishandling of the case, Bragg’s office issued an apology to Savannah, admitting it had made an “unacceptable error” in mishandling the case. Despite that acknowledgment, Bragg’s office has now doubled down on its failure, rejecting Thomas More Society’s legal findings without explanation.

Following the initial botched prosecution, Thomas More Society attorneys argued that the DA could still bring charges if the case was refiled with an upgraded felony charge, given that was the original charge upon Rivers’ arrest and is subject to an extended discovery deadline. TMS sent a detailed legal letter to Bragg’s office urging them to act immediately to hold Rivers accountable by filing felony assault a hate crime charge.

In a response to Thomas More Society attorneys, communicated on October 8, the DA’s office wrote:

“We have carefully reviewed the research you presented but have concluded that continued prosecution is not possible in these circumstances.”

The DA’s letter in response offered no explanation for rejecting the analysis and concluded by repeating their office’s failure:

“I hope that engaging with our Survivor Services Bureau can help Ms. Craven Antao find some closure in this process, which we recognize the criminal prosecution failed to give her.”

“This is unacceptable,” said Christopher Ferrara, Senior Counsel at Thomas More Society and attorney for Ms. Craven Antao. “We believe the DA’s office had an opportunity handed to them to fix their mistake and deliver justice to a young woman who was assaulted in broad daylight, on camera, for peacefully expressing her pro-life beliefs. Their own letter admits the system failed her, nor does the letter actually state that our legal analysis about refiling a felony charge was incorrect. Instead, the DA’s office reveals that it simply will not prosecute the violent attacker of a peaceful pro-life advocate.”  

“What else are we to conclude when the DA’s apology was followed by a refusal to correct the very mistake they apologized for? Does anyone doubt that the result would have been different if Rivers were a peaceful pro-abortion advocate and Savannah a violent pro-life attacker?”

Thomas More Society has announced it will pursue civil action against Brianna Rivers to ensure Savannah Craven Antao gets the justice Alvin Bragg refused to deliver.

“Savannah was the victim of a violent crime caught on video simply because of her willingness to profess her faith-based, pro-life beliefs about the dignity of the preborn,” Ferrara concluded. “Alvin Bragg’s office will not do its job, but we will do our job.”