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NYC teen, who assaulted cop at subway station, was sprung WITHOUT bail days ago in robbery case

Earlier, the 16-year-old boy was freed on his own recognizance after he and three others jumped a 49-year-old man, punched him and fled with his cellphone

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MANHATTAN, NEW YORK: A teenage boy, who was caught on camera assaulting an NYPD cop in a Manhattan subway station, was reportedly sprung without bail in a violent robbery case just a few days earlier. The 16-year-old was freed on his own recognizance at the time, after he and three others allegedly jumped a 49-year-old man on a Midtown street, punched him and fled with his cellphone.

Back then, prosecutors with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office sought his release with “intensive community monitoring” at his arraignment. Days later, on Saturday, July 23, he lashed out at the cop, injuring him. However, this time too, he was released less than 24 hours after being held for starting the brawl with the NYPD officer and putting him in a chokehold. The boy, who is not being named because he is a minor, was released under the city’s relaxed bail laws. A video that surfaced earlier showed the boy punching the cop in the head, and then slamming him repeatedly into metal railings by grabbing him around the neck. 

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The boy was transferred to a family court, where proceedings do not take place in public view. The majority of cases involving people aged 16 and 17 are diverted to family court under the state’s 'Raise the Age' law enacted in 2017. Prosecutors said they hoped the robbery case would be moving to family court as well during a hearing on Tuesday, July 26. For the incident, he faces second-degree robbery and assault charges. Police sources also said that the boy has a sealed case from April in which he was arrested after being found in a car with a loaded gun and a crossbow in Brooklyn.

A judge sent the teen to St John’s, a “non-secure detention facility”, in Queens. He will have a 6 pm curfew there, and also be monitored as the case proceeds. “The People have not obtained supporting depositions that is required to transfer this case to Family Court,” ADA Eva Dowdell said during the hearing in Manhattan Supreme Court’s Youth Part, according to New York Post. “We are asking the court to transfer [the defendant] to the care of St John’s residence.”

"I’m going to be releasing you on your own recognizance, because The People have asked me to release you on your own recognizance,” Judge Althea Drysdale agreed. “I just said to you, I’m releasing you to St John’s.” Asked repeatedly whether he understood the conditions of his release to the St John’s facility, the teen replied, “Yes, your honor", each time. “Am I allowed to press charges?” the teen asked at the end of the hearing. “Press charges against who?” Drysdale replied, but the boy did not have a clear answer.

Manhattan subway station incident

The 16-year-old boy lashed out after an officer confronted him after he allegedly jumped a turnstile in East Harlem over the weekend. During the assault, another teen, a girl, 16, ducked under the turnstile with the boy and tried to free him from the officers' hold. She threw punches, trying to drag the cops off the boy. A female officer subsequently dragged her away as the NYPD arrested the boy. 

The brawl began after the boy allegedly verbally abused the officers. When they tried to arrest him, he began assaulting the officer in an attempt to escape. The video shows the boy with a bloodied face as officers finally manage to pin him to the ground. He was arrested and charged with assault on a police officer, obstruction of governmental administration, and resisting arrest. The teen girl was arrested on the same charges but the outcome of her arraignment remains unclear.

During a City Hall conference, NYC Mayor Eric Adams said of the incident, "We need to look at violent offenders and this is a clear case of that. Robbery is a violent crime. But as soon as we catch them, the system releases them and they repeat the action… When I say we’re the laughingstock of the country, this is what I’m talking about.”