Amid Conflicting Accounts, Tourists Plead Not Guilty in Carmine’s Fight
The New York Times
Three Texas tourists were arraigned on assault and harassment charges, weeks after an altercation at an Upper West Side restaurant drew widespread attention.
Three women who were involved in an altercation with a hostess at a popular Italian restaurant on the Upper West Side were arraigned this week on assault and harassment charges.
The women, Kaeita Nkeenge Rankin, 44, and Tyonnie Keshay Rankin, 21, of Humble, Texas, and Sally Rechelle Lewis, 49, of Houston, pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Manhattan Criminal Court. They were charged with one count each of third-degree assault, attempted assault and harassment, said Javier Solano, a lawyer for the women.
The charges stem from a melee that took place at the restaurant, Carmine’s, on Sept. 16. Details surrounding what ignited the brawl have been contested since the incident, which was recorded on cellphones and security cameras and gained widespread attention online.
