Charges Dismissed Against Woman In Pizza Milano Altercation

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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The woman caught up in a scuffle in an Uptown pizza shop has been cleared of all charges.

The charges were filed after an altercation between 34-year-old Jade Martin and Pizza Milano manager Mahmut Yilmaz back in January. The altercation was recorded on a cell phone by another customer, who posted the video to Facebook where it was viewed thousands of times.

Martin went into the restaurant to use the restroom when the confrontation began. Both Yilmaz and Martin were charged following the incident.

"We were here a few weeks ago and we talked about the fact that charges had been filed against Jade, and my position then was that they should not have been," attorney Ken Haber said.

Yilmaz, who has since been fired from the restaurant, was charged with aggravated and simple assault.

Martin had been charged with disorderly conduct and defiant trespass, charges that were dismissed following Monday's preliminary hearing.

"The judge dismissed the charges. He did the right thing," Haber said. "She is the victim here and she never should have been the defendant."

Martin, who has filed a civil suit against Yilmaz and the restaurant, has not been able to return to her job since the incident, but her attorneys say having these charges thrown out are a big step in her healing process.

"She is still under treatment. She is still undergoing therapy for her concussion and other injuries," attorney George Kontos said.

"I am sure [having the charges dismissed] makes the burden lifted a little bit, but I think she's still traumatized by this incident," Haber said.

In the civil suit, Martin is asking for more than $5 million.