Image: REX.Update: All charges against Orange Is the New Black actress Dascha Polanco have been dismissed by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
Polanco's lawyer has issued the following statement on her behalf, which Refinery29 received via email today:
"From the start, Ms. Polanco has denied the allegations and we have said that the charges should be dismissed. We are pleased that after a thorough investigation and review of the actual evidence, the District Attorney’s Office has done the right thing and agreed to dismiss the case against Ms. Polanco.
"It is clear to us that the so-called victim was motivated by the prospects of a payday. She devised a plan to have Ms. Polanco pay her to withdraw the charges, which was furthered by a campaign of harassment directed at Ms. Polanco and her family and jeopardized their safety. Fortunately, we had irrefutable evidence of the complainant’s misdeeds on tape, including her extortion attempts, which was provided to the District Attorney’s Office.
"Ms. Polanco is delighted to be able finally to put this matter behind her and refocus her energies on her family, and her career."
Updated January 29, 2016: Dascha Polanco is reportedly leaving New York City to escape the teen who has alleged the actress assaulted her.
"[Cardona] tries to provoke her, and it happens on an ongoing basis. She mocks her and her daughter as they leave [their apartment],” a source close to Polanco told Page Six.
The source also said that by the end of February, Polanco will be leaving her Washington Heights apartment and relocating elsewhere. The actress and her accuser are due to appear in court on March 23, 2016.
This story was originally published on December 4, 2015.
Dascha Polanco, the actress who rose to fame as Dayanara Diaz on Netflix's Orange Is the New Black, has been charged with four counts of assault and harassment, according to multiple reports. The alleged victim, 17-year-old Michelle Cardona, asserts that Polanco punched her, pulled her hair, and scratched her with her nails.
According to police, the 33-year-old actress invited the teen to her home in Upper Manhattan via text message in July, when the alleged incident occurred, Page Six reports. Cardona reportedly suffered "bruising and redness to her face, scratches to her arms, and substantial pain,” the police added. Cardona was hospitalized after the incident for treatment.
Polanco appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court on Thursday, which also happened to be the date of her 33rd birthday. Polanco's defense lawyer claims that the incident was orchestrated by Ms. Cardona.
“It’s a setup to try to get money and it was tape-recorded,” Polanco's attorney explained. “This young woman was trying to extort her to drop the case. We’re confident the charges will be dismissed.” Polanco is scheduled to return to court in January 2016.
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