MAN CHARGED IN VIOLENT ASSAULT OF NEW YORK COUPLE

On Jan. 16, a 39-year-old Brooklyn man was arraigned on numerous charges in connection with a violent home invasion and robbery in April. Prosecutors claim that the victims, a couple from Queens, were left with serious, lasting injuries from the incident.

According to authorities, the defendant and a second suspect rang the bell at a Bay Terrace home on April 23 and told the 85-year-old woman who answered the door that they were maintenance workers. When the woman unlocked the door, the defendant allegedly punched her in the face, knocked her to the floor and stepped on her chest. He is then accused of choking her until she lost consciousness and binding her hands with zip ties. The other suspect allegedly went upstairs and yanked the woman’s 87-year-old husband from bed, punched him in the face and head, pepper sprayed him and tied up his hands. The men then took a safe containing diamond and gold jewelry and more than $15,000 in cash.

Prosecutors said the victims spent five days in a local hospital with serious injuries that required intensive care. The woman suffered facial fractures and bruising around her neck. The man is now forced to walk with a cane due to the injuries he suffered in the assault.

The defendant was charged with various robbery, burglary and assault crimes. He was ordered to be held without bail until his next court appearance on Jan. 30. The other suspect was arraigned last year and is being held in jail on a $100,000 bond.

Individuals charged with violent crimes may benefit by exercising their right to be represented by a criminal defense attorney. An attorney could review the prosecution’s evidence in a case and recommend legal strategies that offer the best chance of helping a defendant avoid severe penalties.

Source: NBC 4 New York, “Brooklyn Man Charged in Violent Home Invasion, Assault on Elderly Queens Couple: DA,” Jan. 16, 2015