The niece of a presidential hopeful, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, was hit with new charges a year after she was kicked off a flight from New Orleans during a drug-induced drunken meltdown on Thanksgiving Day that left several people with minor injuries.
The Jefferson Parish District Attorney filed charges against Shannon Epstein on Monday in connection with her removal from an early morning Spirit Airlines flight from New Orleans to New Jersey on Nov. 24, 2022, according to NOLA.com.
Epstein, 26, was charged with one felony count of resisting police by force or violence and two misdemeanors of disturbing the peace through public intoxication, the outlet reported.
The crisis occurred at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport as the Newark-bound flight was taxiing for takeoff at 6 a.m., when Epstein allegedly asked a Latino family sitting near her if they were “smuggling cocaine.”
He then allegedly yelled at the officers and refused to get off the catwalk.
Shannon Epstein was charged Monday with one felony count of resisting police by force or violence and two misdemeanors of disorderly conduct by public intoxication.
At one point, she “broke free” when officers attempted to handcuff her, forcing officers to block her path.
She “was belligerent and displayed unusual strength” during the struggle, according to the report.
After she was handcuffed, Epstein allegedly continued “fighting against the handcuffs, kicking, spitting at the officers, and attempting to free himself.”
Seven officers were forced to strap Epstein to a wheelchair after she refused to get off the catwalk and showed “unusual strength” as she foamed at the mouth and struggled with police officers.
Epstein mentioned both her uncle and former President Donald Trump when police were arresting her. CJ GUNTHER/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
As agents interacted with her, Epstein allegedly mentioned the name of her famous uncle-in-law and former President Donald Trump.
“Are you serious? Do you know who I am?” Epstein shouted, according to a police report seen by The Post at the time. “I’m related to very powerful people and I need to get back on that plane to New Jersey.”
“Do you know who I am? I’m Chris Christie’s daughter and you’re so screwed. You’ll lose your job over this sh*t. I know Donald Trump,” she later shouted.
Epstein “was belligerent and displayed unusual strength” and was foaming at the mouth, according to the report.
At one point, police tackled Epstein to the ground, before she bit an officer on the bicep and “ripped the skin off.”
She was arrested on six counts of assault on a police officer, three counts of disorderly conduct, one count of resisting arrest by force and one count of remaining in a place after being prohibited, NOLA.com reported.
She was booked and released the same day at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center on $10,750 bond.
If convicted of the new charges, the most serious of those she faces, Epstein could face between one and three years in prison.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn