Women’s felony charges reduced

April 11, 2012 at 12:00a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

Two of six women charged in the assault of a Youngstown police officer on the South Side have entered a plea agreement with county prosecutors.

Britany West, 21, of Winona Avenue and Jamalia Abrams, 21, of Parkwood Avenue, entered pleas before Judge John M. Durkin of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Tuesday. West initial- ly had been charged with felony riot and Abrams with felony assault.

Under the plea agreement, charges against both women have been amended to misdemeanor misconduct at an emergency. Both women could be sentenced to 90 days in jail on the amended charge.

The charges against Abrams and West stem from an altercation between two carloads of women in March 2011. Youngstown Police Officer Bridget Quinn responded to the call for a disturbance and was injured breaking up the fight.

Quinn said she arrived at the location to find several women standing outside of two cars engaged in a verbal altercation. She said she tried to separate the women, but one woman tried to attack one of the other women, leading to a melee.

Multiple women at the scene began to fight with the officer. Quinn suffered a back injury and was off work for a period of time.

Both women will be sentenced May 18.