NYPD officers were assaulted in three separate incidents in as many days — and two of the accused attackers were released without bail by a Manhattan judge Monday — amid a troubling spike in violence against cops.
Schmar Green, 28, and David Daniels, 34, were granted supervised release by Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Valentina Morales, over the objection of prosecutors, after allegedly coming after cops in the subway system over the weekend.
But Morales did set a $10,000 bail for Michael Thomas, 24, of Great Neck, Long Island, who was accused of slugging an officer in the face in Times Square just after midnight on Sunday.
The arresting officer said that Thomas had aggressively pursued him and another cop on patrol in the area, claiming it was his First Amendment right to follow them, according to court documents.
After twice being warned to back off, Thomas persisted, continuing to tail the officers “for several minutes” and saying it was his right because they were public servants, the criminal complaint alleges.
The officers asked him to stop, but Thomas instead allegedly punched one of them in the face, causing bleeding, swelling, redness and substantial pain, police said.
In asking bail to be set at $20,000 cash or $60,000 bond, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office noted Thomas had twice previously been cited for skipping on court dates, and also has past criminal convictions including one felony and one misdemeanor, though details of those cases were not immediately known.
Morales instead set the lower bail amount, sending Thomas to Rikers Island until at least his next court date Friday on a count of second-degree assault on a police officer.
Prosecutors had also requested bail in the other two cases, including $20,000 in cash or bond for Green, who was arrested just before 3 a.m. on Sunday when officers responded to a radio call about an emotionally disturbed person at the 81st Street–Museum of Natural History station on the Upper West Side.
The cops approached Green, who became combative and started pushing, the NYPD said.
He wound up elbowing one of the officers on the left side of his face, police said. The cop was treated at a local hospital and released.
Green was charged with assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, obstruction of governmental administration and disorderly conduct and is due back in court March 13.
His current address is the ROW NYC Hotel on 8th Avenue, which is currently being used as a migrant shelter. However cops wouldn’t confirm if he was a migrant.
Green’s attorney, Eliza Orlins with the Legal Aid Society, praised the judge’s decision not to impose bail, noting that her client had shown up to five previous court summonses and had never had a bench warrant issued against him.
She also made reference to a March, 2002 New York Post article hailing Green as a “tiny hero” for warning neighbors in his apartment building about a fire which wound up claiming the lives of his mother, sister and brother.
“Mr. Green has been through a lot, but he certainly understands the charges against him,” Orlins told the court. “Any monetary bail would pose an undue hardship to Mr. Green.”
Prosecutors had requested that Daniels’ bail be set at $7,500 cash or $25,000 bond on charges of second-degree assault on a police officer.
Daniels, of Brooklyn, allegedly attacked cops when they asked him to leave a northbound C train that had been placed out of service around 11:30 p.m. on Friday, sending one to Columbia Hospital to be treated for minor injuries, police said.
Speaking outside the courtroom after Daniels and Green got supervised release, Police Benevolent Association union boss Patrick Hendry lamented the rise of violence against New York’s Finest.
“Police officers are being assaulted every single day across this city,” he said.
“We cannot allow these assaults to be just another statistic. We need all New Yorkers to stand with us, to demand better from the criminal justice system.”
He urged cop-supporting residents to call their elected leaders to “demand change in this system,” which Hendry called “broken at every step.”
He continued: “As we saw here today, a judge allowed two individuals who assaulted New York City police officers back on the streets of New York City.”
When asked what the penalty should be for assaulting police officers, Hendry said plainly, “They should be in jail.”
Officers are on edge following the recent wave of attacks, including a disturbing incident late last month in which a cowardly mob of migrants jumped a pair of cops near Times Square, beating them after they had fallen to the ground.
The two assaulted cops, who were not identified, suffered minor injuries and were treated at the scene. One sustained cuts to the face while the other had bruising to the body, according to sources.
Speaking to officers in the area of Times Square Monday, some considered the surge in violence simply part of the job, while others warned continued leniency at the judicial level for suspects who assault cops would eventually have consequences.
One officer on patrol in Times Square said sometimes the rough stuff simply goes with the territory of putting on a badge and uniform.
“It’s a dangerous job. It’s always been a dangerous job.”
Another, highly ranked officer, flanked by two patrol cops with M4 rifles and helmets in Times Square, warned there would be “more and more violence” against the NYPD, which could prompt an exodus of experienced police.
“You’re going to see more cops leave. And trust me, the trained officers, the ones who can get the job outside the NYPD, those were not the cops you wanted to leave.
Additional reporting by Kevin Sheehan Joe Marino