SEVERAL NEW YORK PEOPLE SLASHED AND STABBED OVER WEEKEND

Slashing and stabbings continue to be a problem in the New York City area with four occurring over the weekend of Feb. 20. They brought the total for the year so far to over 530, a 20 percent increase over the number that happened in the same period in 2015.

One of the attacks occurred around 3 a.m. on Feb. 21 on a 32-year-old man in the Bronx. It was unclear whether it was random or the result of a fight. Another happened in Williamsbridge. The 26-year-old woman who was slashed on the ear and stabbed in the abdomen by two men who jumped out of a car on Feb. 20 said she did not know who they were.

Also on Feb. 20, someone stabbed a 25-year-old man in the Bronx in front of his home after demanding his sneakers. That man, who was stabbed in the abdomen, thigh and arm, is in critical condition. A 57-year-old man was taken into custody in Brooklyn after he slashed a 59-year-old woman on Feb. 21.

A person who is facing charges for this type of a violent crime may wish to meet with a criminal defense attorney as quickly as possible. The person might choose to go to court and plead innocent or may wish to avoid a trial in favor of a plea bargain. In such an arrangement, a person pleads guilty, often to lesser charges, and usually receives a lighter penalty. However, if the person chooses to go to trial, there may be a number of defenses available. For example, eyewitnesses often misidentify people. A case might also be dismissed if a police officer failed to observe the defendant’s rights after being taken into custody.

Source: CBS New York, “4 people slashed, stabbed in separate incidents in Brooklyn, the Bronx,” Feb. 21, 2016