A New York woman who pepper-sprayed her Muslim Uber driver has <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/us/2024/10/30/muslim-uber-pepper-sprayed-jennifer-guilbeault-shohel-mahmud/" target="_blank" rel="" title="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/us/2024/10/30/muslim-uber-pepper-sprayed-jennifer-guilbeault-shohel-mahmud/">pleaded guilty to aggravated harassment</a>, according to court documents seen by <i>The National</i>. "[Jennifer] Guilbeault has several programmes to complete as well as 100 hours of community service," read an email from the New York Supreme Criminal Court. Court documents alleged that in July last year, Guilbeault, 23, pepper-sprayed Uber driver Shohel Mahmud, 45, as he began to pray in Arabic at a red light. Guilbeault was seated in the back with another passenger. “Ms Guilbeault lunged forward, towards the driver's seat,” the district attorney said at the time. Video obtained by local news outlet ABC7 showed that she then sprayed Mr Mahmud in the face. Mr Mahmud can be seen shouting in pain, and shortly after Guilbeault can be seen and heard saying to the other passenger: “Get him out.” In the video, the other passenger appears shocked and repeatedly asks Guilbeault what she is doing. When describing the attack to ABC7, Mr Shohel said that he “was kind of hanging out of the car” and that his seat belt prevented him from escaping initially. “I closed my eyes and finally got out, but realised my car was running so I put it in park again and got out,” he said. Guilbeault was initially <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/us-news/2023/03/15/us-hate-crime-jump-2021/" target="_blank" rel="" title="https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/us-news/2023/03/15/us-hate-crime-jump-2021/">charged with hate crimes</a>. “Everyone is welcome to live and work in Manhattan, and our <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/uk/2024/09/12/muslim-hate-crime-going-unreported-despite-surge-in-cases-after-riots/" target="_blank" rel="">hate crimes unit</a> will continue to address bias-motivated attacks by thoroughly investigating and prosecuting cases, conducting community outreach, and supporting victims,” <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/us/2024/07/02/trumps-new-york-sentencing-delayed-until-after-republican-convention/" target="_blank" rel="" title="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/us/2024/07/02/trumps-new-york-sentencing-delayed-until-after-republican-convention/">said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg</a> when charges were first announced in October. Guilbeault's lawyer, Michael Alber, has not yet responded to<i> The National</i>'s requests for comment on her guilty plea. In October, he said his client had not been "motivated by race, religion, national origin or any other discriminatory factor" in the incident. "This case needs to be looked at with all surrounding circumstances, which include assessing all of the evidence and lack of evidence," he added. "We look forward to working with the District Attorney's office to fully vet all of the facts in the proper forum, which does not embellish or exaggerate the claims, especially where the integrity and credibility of claims can properly be tested. "A full and fair review of the evidence is going to show a crime was not committed in this matter, and that a rush to judgment is not appropriate, and is hurtful to all those involved." Hate crimes generally concern specifically attacking someone due to bias-motivation based on ethnicity, religion, gender or disability. <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/opinion/comment/2024/09/23/hate-crimes-in-the-us-point-to-the-depth-of-divisions-plaguing-american-society/" target="_blank" rel="">Hate crimes have strong potential</a> to resulting in more severe penalties, but can often be more difficult to prove. In an interview with the New York Post, the victim, Mr Mahmud said that he ultimately decided to forgive Ms Guilbeault, citing his religious beliefs and adding that he didn't want her to serve any prison time.
