A Brooklyn judge on Thursday dismissed five criminal cases against a Williamsburg woman accused of repeatedly dining at upscale restaurants and refusing to pay, after a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation found she is not mentally fit to face trial. Prosecutors say 34-year-old Pei Chung was arrested multiple times in connection with the alleged scheme and has been held in a psychiatric unit on Rikers Island since November. Her lawyer says staff there have struggled to reach her, and court officers reported she refused to come into the courtroom for the latest hearing. Even with the cases tossed, she remains locked up because of immigration holds and ongoing concerns about her mental health.
Judge Leans On Psychiatric Evaluation
The judge cleared all five pending cases after a February competency exam concluded Chung could not understand the proceedings against her or meaningfully help her attorney, according to News 12 Brooklyn. The outlet reports that Chung has been housed at a psychiatric facility on Rikers Island since November, following roughly 10 arrests linked to alleged dine-and-dash incidents.
Defense: ‘Resistant To Being Engaged’
Her court-appointed lawyer, Henry Philip Dechalus, told the court that staff in the Rikers psychiatric unit have been unable to meaningfully connect with Chung. “They’re observing her, and they have tried to engage her, and she’s resistant to being engaged, interacting with staff or even coming out of the cell,” Dechalus said, as quoted by News 12 Brooklyn. Court officers said they could not force her into the courtroom, so the hearing went forward without her present.
Alleged Spree And Neighborhood Fallout
Local and national coverage traced the alleged pattern to high-end Williamsburg spots such as Francie and Peter Luger, where staff said they eventually banned the woman after repeated episodes of large meals followed by no payment. Earlier reporting also noted she was behind on about $40,000 in rent and that immigration authorities had issued a warrant that could trigger removal proceedings. Those details were reported by faces deportation threat.
How New York Decides If A Defendant Can Stand Trial
New York courts rely on Criminal Procedure Law Article 730 to decide whether a defendant is able to understand the charges and assist their lawyer; judges can order psychiatric evaluations and pause prosecutions while someone receives treatment, according to New York Courts. If an exam finds a person incapacitated, the court can commit them for treatment and, when it appears unlikely they will regain competency, dismiss the charges or shift custody to mental health authorities. The law is designed to balance treatment needs with public safety, while leaving room for the criminal case to be revisited if a defendant’s condition later improves.
Prosecutors did not immediately say whether they might try to revive any criminal proceedings if Chung is ever found competent. For now, her cases in Brooklyn criminal court are closed, and she is expected to be transferred from Rikers to another psychiatric facility as immigration officials and mental health authorities decide what happens next.
