NYC Public Defenders Condemn the Treatment of Samantha Randazzo, Who Gave Birth in an Open Courtroom at Brooklyn Arraignments

(BROOKLYN, NY) — The Legal Aid Society, Brooklyn Defender Services, New York County Defender Services, The Bronx Defenders, and Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem issued the following joint statement condemning the treatment of Samantha Randazzo, who gave birth while in custody during Brooklyn arraignments on Friday night: 

“Last night, Samantha Randazzo gave birth in shackles inside a Brooklyn courtroom after reportedly spending more than 24 hours in custody. Attorneys and staff from The Legal Aid Society and Brooklyn Defender Services who were present in the courtroom witnessed her labor and deliver her child on a courtroom bench without adequate medical care, privacy, or dignity, surrounded by court personnel, prosecutors, law enforcement officers, and others.

“Ms. Randazzo had reportedly recently been discharged from a hospital despite being nine months pregnant before being returned to custody and brought to Brooklyn arraignments, where she went into labor in open court. That should horrify every New Yorker.

“No person should ever be forced to give birth in handcuffs or endure labor while restrained, exposed, and denied basic medical care and human dignity. What occurred in that courtroom was not simply a failure of protocol or preparedness. It was a profound moral failure and a devastating reflection of the cruelty embedded in our carceral system.

“Reports that courtroom staff joked during the incident, that meaningful privacy was denied, and that legal proceedings and prosecutorial decisions continued while Ms. Randazzo endured an active medical emergency are deeply disturbing. She deserved care, compassion, safety, and dignity. Instead, she was subjected to trauma and humiliation in full public view.

“We are demanding an immediate and transparent investigation into the actions of all agencies and personnel involved, including the Office of Court Administration, the New York City Police Department, the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, and court staff responsible for the conditions that led to this incident. There must also be a full review of medical staffing, emergency response protocols, and the treatment of pregnant people in custody throughout the arraignment system.

“A child entered the world in a courtroom while their mother was in chains. New Yorkers should be outraged that this happened in our city in 2026.”

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Find a PDF of the press release here.