3 Black Texas Women Charged In New York With Assaulting Restaurant Hostess Who Sought COVID Vaccination Proof
New York City prosecutors announced charges on Tuesday (Oct. 5) against three Black Texas women, alleging multiple counts of assault and harassment for beating up a restaurant hostess in Manhattan who asked to see proof of COVID-19 vaccination.
The New York Daily News identified the women as Kaeita Nkeenge Rankin, 44, Tyonnie Keshay Rankin, 21, and Sally Rechelle Lewis, 49. They face up to a year in jail for the Sept. 16 assault at Carmine’s, an Upper West Side restaurant. A Manhattan Criminal Court judge released the women on their own recognizance.
Part of the brawl was captured on cell phone video and circulated on social media.
The women began pummeling the hostess after she complied with New York City’s mandate that restaurant staff ask guests for proof of vaccination to eat their meal inside, the newspaper said, citing statements from the prosecutors. After the altercation, the hostess was treated at the scene for minor injuries.
According to The New York Times, lawyers for both the restaurant and the Houston-area women said the suspects provided proof of vaccination and entered the restaurant. Trouble started after two men who later joined their party couldn’t show a vaccination card. The fight began after the three women went back outside to join the men.
Justin Moore, a lawyer who was representing the women, previously said the hostess used a racial slur toward his clients before the fight began, WABC reported.
Moore stated that his clients were prepared to eat somewhere else when one of Carmine’s staff members urged them to stay, which the hostess didn’t like. She suggested that the group had fake vaccination cards and used a racial slur toward them.
The hostess denied Moore’s allegations.
“The accusation stating that I said a racial slur is unbelievable. I am a Korean immigrant, I was born in Seoul, Korea. I have the utmost respect for all BIPOC. I would never call anyone a racial slur. People lying about that is even worse than being physically assaulted,” she said in a statement, according to WABC.
The women are due back in court on November 18.
