Woman Gives Birth In Courtroom - Her Arraignment Goes Ahead Without Her - Above the Law

"A 33-year-old woman named Samantha Randazzo gave birth on a bench inside a Brooklyn arraignment courtroom Friday night, surrounded by a real-life version of the Night Court cast. The five major New York City public defender offices - Legal Aid, Brooklyn Defender Services, New York County Defender Services, The Bronx Defenders, and Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem - issued a joint statement Saturday calling it "not simply a failure of protocol or preparedness" but a "profound moral failure.""

"What happened to Randazzo was, it seems, not quite as horrific as the public defender statement suggests. But don't let the discrepancies throw you - this was still awful. While the joint statement says Randazzo gave birth "in shackles" while "handcuffed to a bench," her attorney, Wynton Sharpe, told the New York Times that court officers reacted quickly, rushing over to help once it was clear Randazzo was about to give birth and the judge cleared the room."

"A court spokesperson said Randazzo's restraints were removed promptly after everyone realized what was going on. As they say, in the criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: the police who investigate crime and the court officers who have to deliver babies. Dun Dun. Sharpe described the moment as "joyful and sad," which is not something defense lawyers get to say much."

"But that still means Randazzo gave birth... in a courtroom... because the system couldn't be bothered to defer an arraignment for some petty charges long enough to welcome a human being into the world. In fact, the arraignment went ahead withou"

A 33-year-old woman, Samantha Randazzo, gave birth on a bench inside a Brooklyn arraignment courtroom on Friday night. She was surrounded by court officers, and her mother may have been restrained while the arraignment proceeded. Five major New York City public defender offices issued a joint statement calling the situation a profound moral failure rather than a protocol or preparedness failure. Her attorney said court officers reacted quickly once it was clear she was about to give birth, and the judge cleared the room. A court spokesperson said restraints were removed promptly after everyone realized what was happening. The moment was described as joyful and sad, while the arraignment continued despite the birth.

Read at Above the Law