Josie Smith-Malave, a contestant on the reality television show Top Chef, was assaulted over the Labor Day weekend. The assault, allegedly by a dozen people, occurred as she and a friend were leaving a bar at the request of bar staff.Smith-Malave, a lesbian, said the attackers repeatedly shouted gay slurs, spat on her and her friend, and hit them several times. Last week Smith-Malave filed a complaint with the Nassau County police because she thought they weren't vigorously pursuing arrests in the case. She had the names of some of the attackers, yet the police had not made any arrests at that time.
On Saturday, two women were charged with misdemeanor harassment and assault charges, but no bias crimes. Both women were issued appearance tickets to appear in court at a later date. Back in September, a homeless man who allegedly stole a video camera during the attack was charged with robbery as a bias crime.
Josie Smith-Malave appeared on the second season of Top Chef. She was formerly a sous-chef at a Brooklyn restaurant and has also played football for the New York Sharks of the Independent Football League. Her lawyer claims the police didn't pursue the case vigorously or "treat the vicious attack as the violent hate crime it was."
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-20-2007 @ 6:20AM
MCW said...
Is she related to America Fererra?
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12-08-2007 @ 3:44PM
Chance said...
I don't care who she is, or what sexuality, the fact is she was attacked and they should be punished. If this was a straight girl attacked by a bunch of guys we would be crucifying them by now...just sad.
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