Let's put this one to bed:
newsday.com
Attorney for radio's Randi Rhodes disputes report of NYC mugging
1:49 PM EDT, October 16, 2007
NEW YORK - An attorney for Air America radio personality Randi Rhodes is disputing on on-air report by a colleague that the liberal talk show host was attacked on a Manhattan street.
Air America's Jon Elliott announced on his late-night show Monday that Rhodes had been assaulted Sunday while walking her dog about a block from her Park Avenue home. He also speculated that the attack was the work of "the right wing hate machine."
Elliott's account of the incident, however, was contested Tuesday by Rhodes attorney, Robert Gaulin.
Gaulin confirmed that Rhodes was injured after she was floored by someone _ or something _ as she strolled the streets of Manhattan's Murray Hill district around 8 p.m., but wasn't sure herself what sent her tumbling to the pavement.
"She hit her head on the street and was disoriented," Gaulin said. "She's not sure what happened. She didn't see anything." He added that she never reported the incident to police.
Air America released a statement saying that "the reports of a presumed hate crime are unfounded."
Air America's vice president of programming, David Bernstein, said Rhodes missed her shows on Monday and Tuesday, but hoped to be back soon.
"She's OK. She needs a little dental work, and that's all," he said. "I spoke with Randi. She said that it happened, it took her by surprise and it's over," he said.
A message posted on Rhodes' Web site acknowledged that she was "a bit under the weather," but didn't say why.
New York Police Department spokesman Paul Browne said investigators tried to contact Rhodes after learning of the incident, but were told that she did not intend to file a report. |
