Disorder in the court: Hundreds of cockroaches released at N.Y. hearing – National | Globalnews.ca
It was disorder in the court earlier this week, after hundreds of cockroaches were released during an altercation in a courtroom in upstate New York.
According to The Associated Press, the incident happened during proceedings in Albany City Court on Tuesday.
Four people were appearing in front of a judge at an arraignment for an arrest at the state capitol. One of the defendants was asked to stop filming the proceedings, which led to others in the room releasing the bugs from plastic containers.
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The Albany Times Union reports that the four defendants had been arrested last month while objecting to state rent issues.
The courthouse was shut down for the day while crews worked to fumigate the building, and reopened on Wednesday.
According to CBS6 in Albany, Clyanna Lightbourn, 34, was arrested in the incident. The outlet reports that Lightbourn used to work for the New York state senate as a regional co-ordinator, but has since been fired.
She has been charged with disorderly conduct, tampering with evidence and criminal contempt.
Lightbourn was not identified as the person who released the insects, however. Court papers said she created a distraction with her phone while others dropped the cockroaches, according to WNYT.
A source close to the investigation told NewsChannel 13 that Lightbourn is a founding member of Black Lives Matter Upstate New York.
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Black Lives Matter Upstate New York has not confirmed whether their group had anything to do with the protest.
“What transpired is not advocacy or activism, it is criminal behavior with the intent to disrupt a proceeding and cause damage,” read a statement from the Office of Court Administration.
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