Pennsylvania's second lady declines to press charges after video captures racist attack
ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- The family of Pennsylvania Second Lady Gisele Barreto Fetterman is declining to press charges against a woman caught on video unleashing a racist attack over the weekend at a Pittsburgh-area supermarket.
On Sunday, Gisele, who is married to Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman, waited in line to check out her items as a woman entered the store, recognized her, and began cursing at her. Then she followed Fetterman out into the parking lot. Part of the altercation was caught on video.
"I was able to switch the camera (on) and I caught the very final end of what was an ongoing rant. With the same things, the same messaging that 'I don't belong here,' 'that I'm the n-word that Fetterman married,' that I'm a thief, and all these horrible things," Fetterman told Action News.
On Thursday, Pennsylvania State Police said that through its investigation, it was determined that the woman's conduct did meet the threshold to charge an individual, but the Fettermans chose to take a different route.
"The Fetterman family has expressed their desire to avoid prosecution; preferring the woman be given an opportunity to engage appropriate social services and other resources," said police.
Fetterman usually has state trooper security but thought nothing of quickly popping into the grocery store alone for one item. She says she recognizes her visibility is elevated because of her position, but she understands she isn't alone in being targeted as "other."
"I love this country, I love where I live, she doesn't represent the majority. But, in those moments, with her words, I was again a nine-year-old undocumented kid. Kind of frozen in time," she said.
