pro-life activist won’t be prosecuted as Manhattan DA Bragg’s office admits botching case
Savannah Craven punches Brianna Rivers on the street while discussing abortion.Live Action/YouTube
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The Manhattan District Attorney’s office has quietly dismissed its case against a woman accused of violently striking a pro-life activist during an on-camera street interview in Harlem — and a conservative law firm now plans to pursue civil action.
The DA’s office confirmed Friday that it dropped the second-degree assault charge against 30-year-old Brianna J. Rivers in July, citing a failure to meet a legal deadline to turn over evidence to the defense. Officials admitted the mistake was an “unacceptable error.”
Savannah Craven, a pro-life YouTube personality, covered in blood after being punched during a street interview.Live Action/YouTube
The decision is now under review by the Thomas More Society, a Chicago-based conservative legal group, which intends to sue Rivers on behalf of activist Savannah Craven Antao, who was left with injuries after the April attack.
“People need to learn accountability for what is happening in this country — this wave of violence by left-wing activists who think the proper response to an opinion they don’t like is punching, kicking, assaulting, or even shooting somebody,” said Christopher Ferrara, senior counsel with the group. “If there aren’t criminal consequences, there will be civil ones.”
Ferrara said the DA’s office never notified Craven Antao that the case had been dismissed, and ignored repeated attempts from his team to reach out. The activist only learned about it when Rivers boasted about the dropped charges on Instagram.
Craven Antao, a 23-year-old reporter with the advocacy group Live Action, said the DA’s mishandling of the case was “disgusting.”
Savannah Craven interviewing Brianna Rivers on the street about Planned Parenthood.Live Action/YouTube
“This is just the careless behavior Alvin Bragg’s office has become infamous for,” she said.
A spokesperson for Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg acknowledged the error, saying, “Every victim deserves their day in court, and our office has reached out to apologize to Ms. Craven Antao for missing the discovery deadline.” The spokesperson added that internal steps are being taken to prevent similar mistakes.
The April attack left Craven Antao with a black eye, stitches under her eyebrow, a painful nose injury, emotional trauma, and more than $3,000 in medical bills. She said she was exercising her First Amendment right to free speech when she was assaulted.
The Chicago-based law firm said Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg bungled the case.James Keivom
The confrontation unfolded after Rivers agreed to be interviewed about abortion and Planned Parenthood. Video shows the exchange growing tense as the two clashed over abortion and foster care, with Rivers responding “why not?” when asked if unwanted foster children should be killed.
Brianna Rivers, a YouTube personality, was charged with second-degree assault in April.Live Action/YouTube
Moments later, Rivers unleashed a flurry of punches, leaving Craven Antao bloodied. As she stormed off, she shouted expletives and flipped off the activist’s husband.
The case against Rivers was dropped in July.Brianna Rivers/Facebook
Rivers later apologized on social media for the incident but claimed she had been provoked by what she called an “antagonistic” interviewer.
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