Ola Albanni: Woman charged with slashing stranger on NYC street threatens to do same to judge in court
MANHATTAN, NEW YORK: A New Jersey woman named Ola Albanni facing charges for slashing a stranger's face outside a Manhattan pizza shop is now alleged to have punched another stranger on a city sidewalk in May.
During her arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court, Albanni, 52, from Hoboken, NJ, issued a disturbing threat to Judge Miriam Best, stating, "I'm going to slash you in the face too if you put me in the cell for a long time."
She repeated the threat, followed by a minute-long incoherent rant during the hearing. Consequently, Judge Best ordered her removal from the court and a psychiatric evaluation.
What did the accused NYC woman Ola Albanni do previously?
Albanni's alleged unprovoked attack was on a 65-year-old woman with a kitchen knife outside 2 Bros Pizza on Eighth Avenue and West 38th Street, resulting in a significant gash requiring six stitches.
This recent disturbing assault marks the second occasion in the past five months that Albanni has faced charges for attacking strangers in Manhattan.
On May 2, she allegedly punched a 34-year-old woman in the face after approaching her on Third Avenue and East 37th Street, just after 3 p.m., as outlined in a criminal complaint.
Following the assault, Albanni reportedly threatened another stranger with a box cutter, which was later discovered in her purse, according to police reports.
At the time of her arrest on September 3, Albanni was still in possession of the blade and reportedly admitted to the random slashing, according to court documents.
During her arraignment, Albanni wore a furry black jacket and silver-sequined short shorts.
What is the punishment for Ola Albanni’s charges?
In connection with the slashing in September, Albanni could potentially face up to 25 years in prison on a first-degree assault charge.
During her arraignment for the May case, Albanni was released without bail, as the misdemeanor assault and menacing charges she faced were not eligible for bail, according to a spokesperson for the Manhattan District Attorney's office.
However, at the time of the most recent attack in September, Albanni had an outstanding arrest warrant after failing to appear in court for her earlier case, as indicated by court records.
What is the New York stabbing spree?
According to NYPD data obtained by the New York Post, knife-related attacks in the city have surged by 26% since 2019.
From January 1 through August 13, the city has recorded 3,365 nonfatal stabbings, as opposed to 2,666 incidents four years ago.
These figures also reflect a 5% increase compared to the same period in the previous year, during which there were 3,208 nonfatal cases of knife-related violence.
Furthermore, within this time frame, there have been 53 fatalities resulting from stabbing and slashing attacks in New York City, marking a shocking 29% rise from the 41 reported in 2019.
