A mother left the courtroom with a rejected request for leniency after trying to get charges dropped against her 21-year-old daughter with autism who is accused of striking a teacher. The 21-year-old special needs student left the courtroom with her family disappointed and frustrated. “All o f Miami-Dade County is getting ready for the first day of school and Halle’s mom is not going to get that chance because instead of loving Halle, they kicked her out of school and turned their back on her,” said attorney Michael Pizzi, “We asked the state attorneys office to do the right thing and dismiss the case which they could have done and should have done. And they shouldn’t have brought the charges in the first place and they refused to do it.” The charges stem from an incident that got Halle Hansen handcuffed and kicked out of American Senior High School after being alleged to have struck a teacher when her cell phone was confiscated. “She’s afraid of all policemen,” said Esther King, Halle’s mother. In May, King announced action against the Miami-Dade school board and school police department due to the incident. “For their mistreatment and their despicable treatment,” said Pizzi at the time in an interview with 7News. Despite the legal battle with the school, prosecutors are moving forward with the criminal charges against Hansen. “Psychologists in the court has found that Halle does not understand what is happening, is not capable of understanding,” said Pizzi. He says they now have to find a new school for her, and feel that the public school system failed her. “The school system and the police system and the state attorney’s office, they should’ve shown her love and compassion and kindness, since she’s clearly a special needs child. Instead, they punished her and charged her with a crime and brought her to court,” said Pizzi. The family is due back in court on Aug. 26. ...read more read less