Don't swear or curse at the NYPD. You could get arrested.
Or so was the lesson learned by Reverend Al Sharpton's daughter and ex-wife.
Mother and daughter were questioned on Halloween after a Harlem traffic stop when Dominique Sharpton, Reverend Al Sharpton's daughter, drove through a red traffic light. Upon confrontation by the police, both mother and daughter allegedly dropped the F-bomb numerous times.
Kathy Sharpton, Reverend Al Sharpton's ex-wife, allegedly shoved a sergeant and resisted arrest when the police tried to place handcuffs on her. The police also claimed that Dominique Sharpton resisted arrest and created a public disturbance with her swearing and screaming.
Their NY criminal defense attorney argued that the arrest was baseless; as there had been no real crime committed by the two women.
In New York, the crime of resisting arrest is a class A misdemeanor. A person may be found guilty of this crime if she intentionally prevents or attempts to prevent a police officer from conducting an authorized arrest.
Disorderly conduct is only a mere violation. Essentially, an individual can be arrested for disorderly conduct when the person uses abusive or obscene language with the intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm. Of course, the overall charge of disorderly conduct is not just limited to abusive language and encompasses various forms of behavior that infringe on the public order.
Charges have been dismissed against the two under the condition that they stay out of trouble for the next six months. Their NY criminal defense attorney had no objection to the court's offer. If you have any questions about disorderly conduct, or any other minor offenses, it may be best to consult a NY criminal defense attorney.
Related Resources
- Resisting Arrest: New York Penal Code (FindLaw Codes)
- Disorderly Conduct: New York Penal Code (FindLaw Codes)
- Find a NY Criminal Defense Attorney (FindLaw)
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