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Who is Kathleen Casillo? Woman who drove BMW through BLM protesters DEMANDS trial

Casillo, a 52-year-old woman from Queens, was accused of driving into pedestrians at a BLM protest in Midtown Manhattan

QUEENS, NEW YORK: A white NYC woman who plowed her BMW through 50 Manhattan BLM protestors last year has now refused a plea deal. Kathleen Casillo, 52, is set to stand trial. On Wednesday, December 1, Casillo appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court.

Casillo had been offered a deal that would have led to her completing six days of community service, and having her license suspended for a year. However, since the accused has turned it down, a jury will now decide the matter. Casillo was only issued a desk appearance ticket for the incident and was released hours after her arrest. On February 22, Casillo was also charged with reckless assault in the third degree.

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Who is Kathleen Casillo?

Casillo, a woman from Queens, was accused of driving into pedestrians at a BLM protest in Midtown Manhattan. A video that was circulated back then showed the woman plowing into people in the street. Casillo had claimed that protesters had surrounded her car and banged on her vehicle as they marched illegally against traffic. She claimed that she only stepped on the gas to get away from the crowd. At least nine protestors were wounded in the tragedy.

“A car just ran through a group of protesters, tossing people into the air,” witness Mark Apolloa had said. “I saw individuals that were hit with the car flying up and over it. The windshield is totally cracked."

Did Andrew Mercer give a 'lenient' charge?

BLM protestors gathered outside the courtroom waiting for Casillo to be brought to justice. Protestors had earlier chastised Assistant District Attorney Andrew Mercer because they believed she was given a 'lenient' charge. 

"Last year on Dec. 11, Kathleen Casillo drove her car at top speed through a crowd of human beings. I was one of those human beings—I never saw her coming," said Roque Rodriguez, a survivor of the horrific incident. "Andrew Mercer neglected to follow up with seven of the nine people who were directly hit and impacted by this crime." "You’ve never spoken to them. He did no due diligence, and instead assumed that Kathleen did not have bad intentions and that no one else was seriously harmed," Rodriguez added.

Casillo's incident reminds us of the recent tragic Waukesha attack. A driver plowed into several marchers at a Wisconsin Christmas parade, killing and wounding several people. The person in custody was identified as Darrell Edward Brooks Jr, who was found by the cops with the key to a Ford vehicle. The 39-year-old happens to be a career criminal and rapper who performs under the stage name MathBoi Fly. Videos of the horrific incident, which are viral on social media, show a red Ford Escape smashing through white barricades before racing down the road towards a high school marching band. The car drove right through the parade as screams filled the air, running over people and driving away as the crowd scattered.