Son of TV Host Bryant Gumbel Arrested in New York

ABC News ^ | 8/22/2002 | Reuters

[JennysCool]

Son of TV Host Bryant Gumbel Arrested in New York

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The son of former morning television host Bryant Gumbel was arrested on Thursday on charges he snatched a purse from a woman walking on a Manhattan sidewalk.

Bradley Christopher Gumbel, 24, was accused of approaching a woman from behind as she walked along Manhattan's posh Upper East Side, grabbing her purse and fleeing, police said.

The unidentified victim, 31, contacted police, who arrested Gumbel a few blocks away at 2:30 a.m.

Gumbel was arrested on charges of assault and robbery, and he was awaiting arraignment in state Supreme Court in Manhattan.

The woman suffered scrapes but refused medical attention, police said. Her purse had not been recovered, they said.

Gumbel's defense attorney, Benjamin Brafman, said it was a case of mistaken identity.

"I don't believe Bradley Gumbel committed any criminal act whatsoever," he said. "I am very hopeful and confident that ... the District Attorney's office will drop the charges. I have every expectation he will be released.

"Every once in a while, mistakes are made," said the attorney, who called Gumbel a "refined, well-mannered young man."

Gumbel works as a media event planner.

His father, now host of "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" on HBO, left the "Early Show" at CBS in May.

Previously, the elder Gumbel spent 15 years at NBC's "Today" show, where he was co-host with Jane Pauley and later with Katie Couric.

He also briefly hosted his own prime-time news magazine called "Public Eye with Bryant Gumbel" on CBS.

Copyright 2002 Reuters News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

[Leisler]

Maybe the purse matched his pumps. ( a girl has to do what a girl has to do.)

[End The Hypocrisy]

I wonder if Gumbel's defense in court will be that he thought that that 31 year old fashionable female victim was Winona Ryder, and that he simply wanted to counter her "reverse Robin Hood" move of half a year ago by giving back to the poor. Or maybe Gumbel was just demonstrating what he learned in college (if he bothered to go), mainly that certain groups are allowed to take from others (thanks to officially enforced quotas).

[BeAllYouCanBe]

"Gumbel was arrested on charges of assault and robbery.."

If he was in the wrong place at the wrong time than that's too bad for him but the young man may want to reflect a bit. He may want to take a look at his life-style that keeps him on the street at 2:30 AM. I tell my kids (around his age) this all the time that drunks, drugies and perverts are out after 1:00 so if you want to meet one just stay out late and find out how bad they can be.

[TommyDale]

Isn't Bryant Gumbel the one who tried to withhold payments to his ex-wife?

Like father, like son. Both thieves.

[THX 1138]

"Every once in a while, mistakes are made," said the attorney, who called Gumbel a "refined, well-mannered young man."

He was probably on his way to choir practice, too.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

Or is it like Mother, like son?

[laconic]

I believe I remember the "shocking" story that Bryant Gumbel's mother was living in a shack while her TV "star" son was living on Fifth Avenue.

[BeAllYouCanBe]

"on his way to choir practice"

It says that he is a media event planner. I have suspected that the media and his dad in particular have been staging most of the news -- I guess this proves it!!!

[Paul Atreides]

He was probably distraught over Cynthia's defeat.

[mass55th]

"Gumbel's defense attorney, Benjamin Brafman, said it was a case of mistaken identity."

Here we go. They're planning on using The "they all look alike" Defense.

..."the attorney, who called Gumbel a 'refined, well-mannered young man.'"

Oh my, just like his Dad?

[Senator Pardek]

Lol... excellent!

[marshmallow]

Gumbel works as a media event planner

He sure planned a good one this time. Too bad it might involve jail time. Unless his daddy pulls a fast one for him.

What is a "media event planner", anyway? Typical BS showbiz name for a job that probably doesn't amount to squat. Is he the gopher that arranges the microphones before a press conference?

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

"I don't believe Bradley Gumbel committed any criminal act whatsoever," he said. "I am very hopeful and confident that ... the District Attorney's office will drop the charges. I have every expectation he will be released.

"Every once in a while, mistakes are made," said the attorney, who called Gumbel a "refined, well-mannered young man."

Sounds like something Jackie Chiles would say.

[gcruse]

I don't see what all the fuss is about. What the kid did was admirable, in that he skipped all the government expense and went directly to the source for his welfare payment.

[11th Earl of Mar]

he snatched a purse from a woman walking on a Manhattan sidewalk.

Sounds like he is in training to be a Democratic polititian.

[tjg]

A couple of things about this story bother me. For one, if they haven't recovered the purse, did they find something on him that tied him to the crime? Or was it just her ID?

How long after the crime did they get him? If he was only a few blocks away, it couldn't have been long. Why didn't they find the purse?

Or it could just be yet another terribly written story by what passes for a journalist.

[MissAmericanPie]

Product of a liberal upbringing?

[Dianna]

How long after the crime did they get him? If he was only a few blocks away, it couldn't have been long. Why didn't they find the purse?

I thought the same thing. I'm not happy about possibly sticking up for a Gumbel, but if he ditched the purse they should have been able to find it. Maybe he was working with a friend who got away?

[aristeides]

If the victim identified young Gumbel, he either was the perp or looks like a perp.