That is some turnstile justice.
A repeat offender was free to punch a 37-year-old pregnant lady within the face on a Queens subway prepare final month after he dedicated three different related transit assaults prior to now 4 months — however acquired repeatedly let again out to do extra violence, sources mentioned.
Christopher Benitez, 33, of Brooklyn – who has 16 prior arrests – was busted once more Friday for slugging his newest sufferer on board a J prepare on the Jamaica Middle-Parsons-Archer station round 5:50 p.m. Feb. 25, in accordance with cops and sources.
The alleged assault comes after a collection of latest assaults that didn’t result in him being locked up — together with on Dec. 26, through which he punched a lady on a subway in Queens, acquired arrested and freed that very same day with out bail after which attacked one other lady in Manhattan later within the afternoon.
Information that he was free to punch once more left one in every of Benitez’s earlier victims shocked he wasn’t in jail.
“It’s actually scary,” mentioned Elaine Silva, 37, who was slugged by Benitez on Dec. 26 contained in the forty second Avenue-Bryant Park prepare station.
“And likewise it makes me really feel very mad about it, and particularly as a result of it’s one other lady, as a result of it was a pregnant lady. I really feel very mad about it truly.”
Benitez’s string of latest alleged assaults started on Nov. 9, when he was busted for punching a 40-year-old lady within the face and chest in a random assault on the Jamaica-Van Wyck subway station in Queens, in accordance with the sources.
He was granted supervised launch in that assault, as requested by prosecutors, as a result of the misdemeanor third-degree assault cost was not eligible for bail underneath state legislation, the sources mentioned.
That call left him free to strike once more at 7:10 a.m. on Dec. 26 on the Roosevelt Avenue-74th Avenue subway station in Queens, when he randomly punched a 24-year-old lady within the face as she walked towards the mezzanine, sources mentioned.
He was once more busted — however once more let go, this time on a desk look ticket that ordered him to seem in court docket on Feb. 21.
Moderately than study his lesson, he struck once more simply hours later, in Manhattan, when he attacked Silva, punching her within the face as she was heading towards the exit of the forty second Avenue-Bryant Park station round 4:40 p.m.
Lastly, prosecutors requested bail for Benitez, and a choose set it at $2,500 money or $5,000 bond — which he was in some way capable of submit and get again out on the streets.
The revolving door for the clearly troubled man left Silva dismayed.
“I perceive he has a psychological well being dysfunction, however what if I’ve an encounter with him once more, and possibly he’s not going to recollect me, however what if he additionally does the identical factor to a different individual?” Silva mentioned. “And look what occurred.”
The bust and the bail allegedly didn’t put Benitez on the straight and slim. He was arrested but once more whereas out on bail for fare leaping in Brooklyn on Jan. 25, and was allowed to take plea regardless of all of the latest arrests.
However then he failed to point out up for his subsequent court docket date for his first Dec. 26 assault and a warrant was issued, sources mentioned.
The warrant was out for him when he was busted Friday for his newest assault on the pregnant lady.
Benitez’s rap sheet additionally features a January 2019 arrest for assault, a bust for legal mischief in July of 2018, and a bust in June of 2016 for allegedly consuming alcohol out on the road, sources mentioned.
Benitez’s newest assault left the pregnant sufferer banged up not hospitalized, and he was once more charged with third-degree assault, cops mentioned.
Benitez wore a black puffer jacket, blue denims and black sneakers when he was led out in cuffs from the Transit District 20 precinct, housed contained in the Briarwood subway station.
He briefly glanced on the awaiting press photographers then put his head down, hanging it low whereas he was led out of the station and into an awaiting police automotive, bringing him to Queens Felony Courtroom.
His arraignment within the newest case was pending Friday night.
Further reporting by Jack Morphet
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