A randomly violent slasher assaulted an unsuspecting man outside a subway station in Manhattan and was allegedly free despite a previous knife attack, sparking outrage over the loose grip on justice, said officials – as the victim expressed that he was nearly killed due to an insufficient legal response.
Demitri Marshall, a 32-year-old with a criminal history, was apprehended hours later after he inexplicably slashed the face of a 27-year-old man near the East Broadway subway stop, according to police reports.
This incident marked yet another attack by the unstable repeat offender, who was previously taken into custody for a similar act on a Bronx subway last month but was subsequently released under court supervision.
The latest victim, who asked to be identified only by his first name, Fernando, received seven stitches to treat a gash on his face but was furious that the seasoned criminal was allowed to roam free.
“What the city of New York did is wrong,” said Fernando, a painter originally from Ecuador, during a phone interview with The Post in Spanish. “He’s a criminal that the judge let out, and he could’ve killed me. I can’t comprehend why the system grants him freedom.”
Fernando recounted how, after getting off work, he was waiting to cross the street when the assailant attacked him without provocation.
“I didn’t notice him until it was too late; I was just waiting at the corner for the light to change when suddenly I felt a sharp pain on my face. I turned to confront him, but then I saw all the blood flowing from my wound,” he stated.
“He didn’t say anything. I was in shock and just couldn’t understand why this was happening. Thankfully, he didn’t stab me in the neck; I could’ve easily lost my life,” he reflected.
After the attack, Fernando managed to return to the subway station where he reported the incident to the present officers, who were unable to locate the fleeing suspect.
“I have to be more alert now,” Fernando expressed regarding the sudden escalation of violence. “It saddens me because I didn’t provoke him. I’m terrified to go out; I could’ve been killed in an instant.”
Marshall, who resides in the Bronx, was arrested later that day about half a mile from where the attack occurred and is being charged with first-degree assault, a felony, as reported by police and prosecutors.
He pleaded not guilty and was subsequently remanded to Rikers Island without bail following an arraignment.
This decision to detain Marshall came just weeks after he was granted supervised release concerning a subway attack in the Bronx, prosecutors indicated.
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In the previous incident, he reportedly slashed a 21-year-old man’s face for no apparent reason while onboard a No. 6 train at the Zerega Avenue station late at night on August 28, as detailed by law enforcement.
The victim was subsequently taken to Jacobi Medical Center, where he was last reported as stable, according to police.
Marshall was arrested on September 15 and faced charges including first-degree attempted assault and multiple counts of assault and weapon possession as outlined in the criminal report.
Judge Ralph L. Wolf approved the supervised release of Marshall, despite the prosecution’s request for a cash bail of $50,000 or a bond of $150,000, as stated by the District Attorney’s Office.
In response to inquiries about the judge’s decision, a spokesman from the Office of Court Administration conveyed that, “The court does not comment on individual bail rulings.”
“What is crucial is that most bail decisions are based on a comprehensive evaluation weighing various factors to assess the defendant’s risk of fleeing prosecution,” stated spokesman Al Baker. “This assessment includes careful consideration of arguments made by both the prosecutor and defense counsel, along with any other information provided to the court.”
Marshall accumulates seven prior arrests leading up to his recent troubling actions. Previously, he was arrested on January 26 for allegedly attacking a 27-year-old stranger on an MTA bus in the Lower East Side.
“Shut your mouth about my sister!” he yelled during that violent encounter, police reported.
The outcome of that case remains unclear.
He has also been accused of striking a 33-year-old individual on the head at the Second Avenue platform of the northbound F train back in March; that assault was classified as a hate crime, yet he was released with “non-monetary conditions” after arraignment, according to online court documentation.
Marshall had previously served just over a year in state prison for a robbery conviction in Manhattan, as per state Corrections records, and was paroled until February of this year.
His criminal record spans back to 2012, including offenses for robbery, burglary, and fare evasion, sources reveal.
Marshall’s next court date for the latest case is set for October 30.
