Lawyer of woman accused of racism over bike incident threatens lawsuits as media and others scramble.

Woman at Center of Viral Video Plans to Sue Media for Defamation

After a video of a confrontation over a bike went viral, a white pregnant woman named Sarah Comrie was widely vilified on social media as a racist. However, her lawyer, Justin Marino, has produced receipts that show she paid for the bike, contradicting the claim that she stole it. Marino plans to file defamation lawsuits against media outlets and others who have labeled Comrie a racist and a thief.

Since the video went viral, Comrie has been placed on leave from Bellevue Hospital, where she worked. Marino has shown media outlets timestamped Citi Bike receipts that represent the contested bike and another bike Comrie rented to get home. Despite this evidence, many on social media and some media outlets quickly ran with the framing that Comrie had tried to steal the bike from the black man, labeling her a “Karen.”

Unfair Treatment

“She’s received death threats,” Marino said. “She’s in hiding. What’s at play is what social media did to this woman who’s literally a hero, and has done nothing but help people and within one minute effectively tries to ruin her life.”

Lawyer Ben Crump, who has been involved in some of the most controversial cases involving police in recent history, said in a now-deleted tweet that Comrie had tried to “steal” the bike. NBC News also came under fire for its coverage of the incident, writing in an initial tweet that the video “appeared to show her attempting to take a rental bike from a group of young Black men.”

Media Outlets Under Fire

Despite the limited context shown in the video, media outlets like “Bicycling” and Black America Web quickly framed the incident against Comrie. Marino plans to pursue defamation lawsuits against these outlets and others who have labeled Comrie a racist and a thief.

Receipts Prove Innocence

Marino has shown media outlets two timestamped Citi Bike receipts only minutes apart; the first represented the contested bike while the second was for another bike the woman rented to get home, and it showed the 25-minute ride she took to get home. These receipts prove that Comrie paid for the bike and did not steal it.

• Media outlets and others have labeled Sarah Comrie a racist and a thief after a video of a confrontation over a bike went viral.
• Comrie’s lawyer, Justin Marino, has produced receipts that show she paid for the bike, contradicting the claim that she stole it.
• Marino plans to file defamation lawsuits against media outlets and others who have labeled Comrie a racist and a thief.
• Despite the evidence, media outlets quickly framed the incident against Comrie.
• Marino has shown media outlets timestamped Citi Bike receipts that prove Comrie paid for the bike and did not steal it.

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