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    Man Arrested on Charges of Sucker-Punching Rick Moranis

    November 15, 2020 | 1:31 PM
    in NEWS
    13
    A wanted poster put up near the scene last month. Photograph by Dan Tanner

    Police have made an arrest in a random assault on actor Rick Moranis on Central Park West and 70th Street that occurred on October 1.

    “Marquis Ventura, 35, was collared about 3:30 p.m. by transit officers who recognized his face from wanted pictures and video released after the bizarre Oct. 1 attack,” the Daily News reported. The transit officers arrested him at the 96th Street and Broadway stop, the Post reported.

    Moranis went to the hospital after the attack, but was not seriously injured.

    The Post reported that Ventura has been charged in other assaults.

    The Moranis attack is now the third open stranger-assault case against Ventura.

    He remains charged in the Bronx with misdemeanor assault for allegedly punching a young woman in the face after asking her for money on a No. 5 train on April 13, according to law enforcement sources and public court records.

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    13 Comments
    LK
    LK
    5 years ago

    “The Moranis attack is now the third open stranger-assault case against Ventura.”
    This is the part that is completely unacceptable – all the proponents of the bail reform need to answer for this. Third time he has hurt an innocent person – there is no excuse for him to be walking around after the first one…

    0
    Reply
    Dina LaMotte
    Dina LaMotte
    5 years ago
    Reply to  LK

    agree!!

    0
    Reply
    nycityny
    nycityny
    5 years ago
    Reply to  LK

    That’s not the issue here. Even with bail “not reformed” he could be out on the street if he made bail.

    The issue is why he wasn’t tried and convicted of the April 13 attack already? Where was his speedy trial? And what about the other attack – was he tried for that?

    The issue is the criminal justice system, not bail reform.

    0
    Reply
    Sarah
    Sarah
    5 years ago
    Reply to  nycityny

    Exactly. If he had money to make bail that wouldn’t make him less dangerous, yet that would be enough for the old system.

    Old-school bail was a system in which Kalief Browder spends years in jail without trial and Jeffrey Epstein walks free.

    0
    Reply
    Kate
    Kate
    5 years ago

    He’s already been arrested multiple times for violent offenses. He always gets out, as most criminals in NYC do.

    He is clearly unfit to be out in civilized society. He needs to be separated from it in a secure facility, preferably long-term. He’s out of second chances.

    0
    Reply
    Sarah
    Sarah
    5 years ago
    Reply to  Kate

    If he’s guilty, I want him to receive a fair trial and be convicted. But do you understand that an arrest is not a conviction, and no convictions are mentioned here? It’s really sad to see how many people still operate on a “scary-looking black guy being arrested must be guilty and should be shut away from society instantly!” basis. Sad…and racist.

    0
    Reply
    lynn
    lynn
    5 years ago
    Reply to  Sarah

    We saw what he did on the video. So he’s only guilty (and dangerous) if he’s convicted?

    0
    Reply
    Concerned UWS
    Concerned UWS
    5 years ago
    Reply to  Sarah

    Uh. I think you are the only person to suggest he is scary looking. I wonder who the real racist may be?

    0
    Reply
    Kate
    Kate
    5 years ago
    Reply to  Sarah

    By the way, nice job bringing race into it. Couldn’t resist calling someone a racist today, I guess.

    0
    Reply
    Gretchen
    Gretchen
    5 years ago

    Great news – Ghost Busted!! Hope Rick is doing well.

    0
    Reply
    wombatNYC
    wombatNYC
    5 years ago
    Reply to  Gretchen

    Too Soon … lol

    0
    Reply
    Awesome 👏🏽
    Awesome 👏🏽
    5 years ago

    Kudos!
    A job well done to the police transit officer of keeping alert!
    Thank you so much!

    0
    Reply
    Elle D.
    Elle D.
    5 years ago

    That’s great news – glad this predator has been apprehended & justice will soon be served. Hope the vigilant transit cops are eligible for the reward- well deserved 👏
    Sucker punching is a sneaky low-down crime that traumatizes the victim fora long time and needs to be punished with jail time to prevent it from becoming a trend or a rite of initiation among hoods. Rick Moranis and the other victims deserve justice.

    0
    Reply

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