GET OUT OF JAIL FREE CARD FOR 'ESSENTIAL' WORKERS?

Woman who punched Bronx cop should be freed as an ‘essential’ worker, lawyer says

By Alex Taylor and Kenneth Garger

New York Post
April 9, 2020

The woman arrested for slugging a Bronx cop should be let free without bail because she’s delivering medicine to sick people during the coronavirus pandemic, her lawyer said.

Brandee Isom, 25, is an “essential worker” who got into a melee during the arrest of a robbery suspect in University Heights, her lawyer argued in court early Thursday.

“She’s an essential worker. She’s never gotten in trouble,” said the lawyer, Iliana Santiago, claiming that footage of the melee showed “the officer hit [Isom] first.”

The video footage does show an officer slugging Isom in the face as the two tangled. But Isom’s fists allegedly were flying before the footage begins.

Nelson Jimenez, 31, could also be seen on video as he sucker-punches a separate cop near 183rd Street and Davidson Avenue. After Jimenez flees, the officer tries to get Isom to back away from 27-year-old Yoemdy Castro, who was being arrested on suspicion of robbery, video shows.

That’s when the cop and Isom begin shoving one another. Then the officer takes a swing and lands a right hook to Isom’s face, sending her reeling backward.

Bronx Prosecutor Alessandra Ambrosi said Isom also landed a punch to the cop’s face.

“Ms. Isom puts her hands on the officer … she attempts to swing at him and misses,” said Ambrosi. “She attempts to swing at him again and makes a connection with his right jaw.”

The judge didn’t buy Santiago’s “essential worker” argument and ordered the suspect held on $5,000 bail.

“When someone goes to interfere with a police officer, that to me makes them a flight risk,” the judge said in court. “I would think someone in this kind of position would know better than try to get involved with officers trying to make an arrest.”