Charges Dropped Against Sharpton's Swearing Ex, Daughter

Dominique Sharpton with dad

Rev. Al Sharpton's ex-wife and daughter are off the hook on charges of obstructing governmental administration, resisting arrest, harassment and disorderly conduct, after unleashing a string of curse words at cops in Harlem. Today they received an dismissal of charges, provided they aren't arrested in the next six months (23-year-old Dominique Sharpton was recently involved in an alleged domestic abuse incident), reports the Post. "In America, you have the right to object to police action," said the women's lawyer. "And certainly you should not be arrested and prosecuted for objecting if you've committed no crime."

Officers pulled the pair over for running a stoplight at 110th Street and 8th Avenue late last year. "I have a play to go to -- this is f---ing bullshit!" Dominique allegedly yelled at them. "Get the f--- off me! You can't harass me! Why the f--- am I getting a summons." Her mom allegedly joined in. "Why the f--- are you locking her up! Get your f---ing hands off her," she said. Rev. Al Sharpton came to their defense on Twitter. "It is not illegal to question a traffic ticket or even use profanity," he wrote.

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By Sabrina Jaszi in News on March 23, 2010 3:50 PM

Comments [rss]

jaycjay

Correction's been made, sort of... but it's still not right.

This is, again, an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal. Charges have not been dropped, but will be dismissed in six months if the subjects are not arrested in the interim.

Adjournment: postponement. No final determination has yet been made.

This is a very common outcome in misdemeanor cases. The general point of it is that the prosecution has established the facts of the case, but the defendant has a good record and is expected not to be an ongoing criminal threat. So the court has adjourned the case, and will take it up again in six months. Generally that's a routine hearing where it's simply established that the defendant has not gotten into further trouble, so then charges will be dropped.

As of now, though, charges are still in place.

jaycjay

"they received an acquittal, provided they aren't arrested in the next six months"

Not an acquittal. An acquittal is final; it can't come with conditions under which it could later become a conviction.

This is an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal, often called an ACD -- the case has simply been postponed ("adjourned"), and the charges will be dismissed by the courts if there aren't any other incidents for six months.

Kevin Walsh

'Stars', and their relatives, get breaks.

www.forgotten-ny.com

HypocraticOath

I am sure it is a matter of time before these two turds run afoul of the law once again.

Clarice City

They ran clear through a stop light. They're lucky they didn't kill someone. Then they have the brass balls to threaten and mouth off to the cops about it? wow. Wonder what sleezy dealings went on to get these two trashy entitled asses off the hook.

jaycjay

"Wonder what sleezy dealings went on to get these two trashy entitled asses off the hook."

Realistically there's nothing out of the ordinary about this result (adjournment in contemplation of dismissal; it wasn't actually an acquittal) in a first-time misdemeanor case. Happens routinely, no matter who the accused person is.

But the court's not saying that they didn't do exactly what they were charged with, or that there's any reason they shouldn't have been arrested or charged.