The District Attorney has dropped a gun possession charge against Inna Vernikov.
File photo courtesy of John McCarten/NYC Council Media Unit
The Brooklyn District Attorney has dropped criminal gun charges against southern Brooklyn Council Member Inna Vernikov after finding a key component of the gun she carried at a pro-Palestinian rally held at Brooklyn College was missing — rendering the weapon inoperable.
Vernikov — who represents District 48 — was arraigned earlier this month after turning herself in to NYPD following her controversial attendance at a rally on Oct. 13 where she was filmed and photographed with what appeared to be a handgun tucked into the waistband of her pants.
A New York State law carrying firearms in so-called “sensitive” locations, like schools and protests, even if the firearm is legally licensed. The council member, who did own the gun legally, turned over both her permit and the firearm to police when she turned herself in. Vernikov was originally charged with one count of criminal possession of a firearm.
At her arraignment on Nov. 2, Vernikov’s attorney Arthur Aidala argued that the gun may not have been operational, probing prosecutors to investigate. They eventually found that the recoil spring assembly was missing, THE CITY first reported on Friday. Per state law, a gun must be operable for a possession charge to stick.
Aidala did not return requests for comment.
At today’s rally on Brooklyn College campus led by the students in their SJP chapter, Inna Vernikov showed up showcasing a gun to Palestinian students and their allies.
These are the tactics of force and intimidation used by zionist groups to silence any support for Palestine. pic.twitter.com/woQ6KGE1Gv
— CUNY4Palestine (@Cuny4P) October 12, 2023
“Peaceful protest is the right of every American, but bringing a gun to a protest is illegal and creates an unacceptable risk of harm that has no place in our city,” said Oren…
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