Megyn Kelly slams NYC hospital for placing pregnant white worker on leave in Citibike viral dispute
Megyn Kelly criticized a New York City hospital for sending a pregnant doctor’s assistant on leave after she was falsely accused of stealing a black man’s Citibike.
‘My God, the s*** crashed on this pregnant woman just for trying to actually claim the bike she paid for is getting out of hand,” Kelly exclaimed on her Tuesday broadcast.
The TV host showed footage of last week’s viral incident, then criticized activists and social media users for labeling the white woman as “CitiBike Karen” and comparing her to Emmett Till’s accuser.
Sarah Comrie, a 36-year-old doctor’s assistant at Bellevue Hospital, has gone into hiding after reportedly receiving “death threats” following footage of her arguing with a man over a Citibike outside Bellevue Hospital at the end of a shift last week.
The hospital has since released a statement revealing that Comrie has been placed on leave and will remain on leave pending further investigation. It’s unclear what the status of that review is.
Megyn Kelly has criticized a New York City hospital for sending a pregnant doctor’s assistant on leave after she was falsely accused of stealing a black man’s Citibike
Sarah Comrie, 36, is in hiding after reportedly receiving ‘death threats’ following viral footage of her arguing with a man over a Citibike outside Bellevue Hospital last week
Kelly criticized social media activists and users for labeling the white woman as “CitiBike Karen” and comparing her to Emmett Till’s accuser
A roughly 90-second video of the incident was posted to TikTok and Twitter, showing Comrie arguing with the man outside Bellevue over the weekend.
“We are aware of the video with an off-duty healthcare provider and off the hospital campus. The incident in the video is disturbing,” a spokesperson for NYC Health + Hospitals, the hospital system where Comrie works, told CBS News in the aftermath.
“The provider is currently on leave and will remain on leave pending an assessment. As a healthcare system, we are committed to providing an environment for our patients and staff that is free from any form of discrimination.”
During her show Tuesday, Kelly scoffed at the statement.
“What kind of discrimination?” Kelly asked. “They accuse their own staff member of being racist in that meeting.”
She pointed out that the incident even prompted civil rights attorney Ben Crump to tweet and then delete that tweet about the ordeal after her attorney threatened libel lawsuits against those who defamed her.
Crump has not apologized for his tweet that read, “This is unacceptable!”
“A white woman was caught on camera trying to STEAL a Citi Bike from a young black man in NYC. She grossly tried to weaponize her tears to portray this man as a threat. This is EXACTLY the kind of behavior that has endangered so many black men in the past!”
Sarah Comrie, 36, has reportedly received ‘death threats’ after footage shows her struggling with a man outside Bellevue Hospital after she finishes her shift
DailyMail.com revealed the nurse’s Citibike receipts – which her lawyer claims match the number on the handlebars of the bike she was holding in the footage to her document
The documents show that the ride was eventually canceled and she was not charged, before booking a new bike minutes after the incident
Comrie, wearing a blue uniform that read “NYC Health + Hospitals,” was seen in the video shouting “help” and breaking down in tears as a crowd gathered around them.
In the clip, a friend of the man can be heard defending him, saying that the woman – branded as ‘Karen’ after the video – was in fact trying to steal from him.
Kelly later admitted in the segment that Comrie’s behavior in the video was “a bit odd,” like the way she calmly shouts “help” during the battle.
‘But are not racist,” she added. “This woman’s life is ruined, she’s not back at work, she’s expecting a baby, I’m sure she’s emotional at first. We all know you get a little feisty when you have a baby growing inside you.’
Kelly also berated the online fighters for comparing Comrie to Emmett Till’s accuser.
“Instead of calling these women ‘Karens’ when they do this, we should call them ‘Carolyn’ or ‘Carolyns’, since the behavior they are mimicking is that of Carolyn Bryant, the woman who had Emmett Till lynched.” read a tweet.
Justin Marino, representing Comrie, says she feared she would lose her job over the incident – as the hospital had put her on administrative leave pending an assessment.
Marino said he is “preparing lawsuits,” adding that there is “no doubt” that outlets and individuals slandered the pregnant nurse.
He told Fox News: “She has received death threats. She’s in hiding.
“What’s at play is what social media has done to this woman who is literally a hero, who has done nothing but help people and is effectively trying to ruin her life in under a minute.”
“She’s been called a racist, she’s been called a thief… We intend to cherish that.”
Justin Marino, representing Comrie, says she feared she would lose her job over the incident – as the hospital has put her on administrative leave pending an assessment
His comments come after DailyMail.com obtained Comrie’s Citibike receipt — which Marino says proves the bike she was holding in the footage was booked by her.
Marino said the documents show she booked the Citibike outside of Bellevue Hospital after finishing her 12-hour shift — because the number on the handlebars matched the receipt.
The first receipt shows that the bike seen in the video was paid for and taken away before being locked again a minute later – identified by the number on the handle.
According to him, a second receipt is proof that a second bicycle was taken from the same docking station, with which Comrie used to ride home.
Marino said his client was forced to buy a second Citi Bike after being “berated and pressured” to do so – after initially taking the bike when “no individual had touched it.”
In a statement, he said, “One or more individuals in that group physically pushed her bike (with her on it) back into the docking station, causing it to lock again.
“When blocking the QR code, this person’s arm touched my client’s pregnant belly, a condition she made them aware of.
During this time and throughout the rest of the video, about five individuals told her to get off the bike and harassed her.
“The fact that someone treats another like this is tragic, especially a visibly pregnant woman.”
Comrie could even be seen crying in the video as she jumped onto the contested bike
A video of about 90 seconds of the incident was posted to TikTok and on Twitter, Comrie can be seen arguing with a man outside Bellevue Hospital in New York City (pictured)
Speaking to DailyMail.com last week about the incident, Marino said, “The receipts unequivocally show that she got the bike first.
“But there is no animosity towards the men in the video. We honestly wish them the best in the future.
“The focus is on clearing her name and prosecuting the publications and high-profile names that slandered her.”
He added that their complaints are against anyone who suggested she was a racist after being labeled as ‘Karen’.
a GoFundMe founded by her uncle has raised $117,765 of their goal and will be used to pay her legal bills.
It read: “She got involved in a highly publicized incident involving a Citibike that falsely portrayed her as a racist ‘Karen’.
‘The facts have now proven this to be a lie, but the damage has been done. In fact, Sarah is a dedicated health worker who is six months pregnant.
“She is deeply committed to racial justice and fairness, and has dedicated her life to serving NYC’s most challenged individuals.”