Miya Ponsetto lawyer says she attacked Black teen due to anxiety

Attorney Sharen Ghatan claimed her client has a history of anxiety attacks dating back to her early teenage years.

Jan 6, 2021

In a new development, “SoHo Karen” made a new claim in regards to her behavior after losing her iPhone.

According to TMZ, Miya Ponsetto’s alleged anxiety fueled the attack against Keyon Harrold Jr. after accusing the teenager of stealing her iPhone. Sheren Ghatan, Ponsetto’s attorney, claims her client suffers from anxiety, and her controversial behavior was due to the disorder.

theGrio reported attorney Ben Crump called for charges against Ponsetto after she lashed out at Harrold Jr. both verbally and physically when she accused him of stealing her phone. His father, famed musician Keyon Harrold, captured the incident on camera and it soon went viral.

Eventually, Ponsetto’s iPhone was returned by an Uber driver, whose vehicle she had mistakenly left the device in.

“As this year of racial awareness is drawing to a close, it’s deeply troubling that incidents like this one, in which a Black child is viewed as and treated like a criminal, continue to happen,” the statement issued by Crump read according to the report. “Compounding the injustice, the hotel manager defaulted to calling on 14-year-old Keyon to prove his innocence, documenting that we have two justice systems in America and that Black people are treated as guilty until proven innocent.”

Miya Ponsetto Keyon Harrold Jr., thegrio.com — Miya Ponsetto

Now that Ponsetto has been identified as the attacker, she has taken multiple stances of defense. The California resident who was in New York City visiting first claimed to be the victim. theGrio reported the 22-year-old white woman reached out to CNN under the condition of anonymity, said she was the person assaulted, although she offered zero proof to the news outlet.

After viewing the video, Rodney Harrison, the NYPD chief of detectives, announced, “we’re now looking to charge this individual with assault and maybe even look at grand larceny or maybe even attempted robbery,” according to the report.

TMZ claimed Ponsetto has been experiencing anxiety attacks for a while and was triggered by losing her phone in an unfamiliar city. These claims are backed up by her mother, Nicole Ponsetto, according to the report. They both claim the incident was a result of anxiety, not racism.

While Ponsetto’s legal team and support system attempt to blame her mental health, the actual victim also has new trauma to unpack. theGrio reported 14-year-old Harrold Jr. is now seeking therapy after the ordeal. According to the report, the teenager asked his father, “Why me?” after the now-viral moment.

Ghatan informed TMZ that Miya Ponsetto is off the grid and neither she nor Miya’s mother has been able to successfully contact her.

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