By Carol Tannenhauser
Isaiah Benjamin, 23, the suspect in the New Year’s Day attempted rape aboard a southbound #2 train nearing 72nd Street, has been arrested, according to an NYPD alert.
Benjamin, who lives on W. 133rd Street, has been charged with Attempted Rape, Sex Abuse, Forcible Touching, and Public Lewdness.
The attack was interrupted by a Good Samaritan “who intervened and helped the victim flee to another car to safety,” police said.
Those are the only details released thus far. We’ll keep you posted.
Thank you for the follow up!
For all those criticizing my reason to comment and ask our UWS elected officials why they NEVER speak about the crimes happening on the UWS because “how do you know they are from the UWS?” – now you know again here. The crimes being committed here have been by residents on the UWS – whether lower or upper UWS. But what does Gale Brewer or Brad Hoylman or Senator Robert Jackson or Assemblyman Danny O’Donnell or Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal talk about? MAKING SURE THERE ARE NO LONGER BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR RENTALS IN NYC.
Do you REALLY think they care for all of their constituents’ safety?
I think not running background checks is just nuts. The last thing anyone needs living next door to them is a violent felon. I mean does that really make ANY sense for the rest of the people in the building? No. It’s taking away their rights to be safe to give a potential reoffender a chance. Common sense really, isn’t it?
I am extremely disappointed in Gale. While we have raging crime, she is focusing on no background check issue. Insane.
These things are not mutually exclusive. Crime is not new, they’re talking about new initiatives more. That’s normal, while perhaps not prudent.
What? Can you cite Gail Brewer or say Linda Rosenthal making the excuse that since the criminal wasn’t from the UWS, but the crime was committed on the UWS, that the crime isn’t worth publicizing?
Oh, and the UWS ends at 110th Street, well south of 133rd St.
It’s 20 blocks away. You get the point, it’s our nearby vicinity and last month we had the stabbing in the west 80’s and the attempted rape in Riverside Park in the 90’s at about 6pm the month before that. Yet no comments from all of our elected officials.
I am tired of feeling frightened for my safety after dark and the people that are supposed to represent me not speak about it. But, they go to City Hall to yell about making background checks illegal.
No amount of violent crime is acceptable. But let’s keep things in perspective. In a neighborhood of over 200,000 people, you point out one violent crime per month. That’s literally orders of magnitude lower than the national average, and lower than any other large or medium-sized city in the country.
Thank you for the follow up. It would be great if you could also follow up on the punishment.
Is it possible to follow up what the perpetrator will be charged with and whether or not he os released on bail? Thank you.
Kudos to the police for the prompt apprehension of another criminal.
Dear Frustrated: Last I looked on the maps, w133 is not the UWS., but Harlem.
Thank goodness he has been arrested. Please let us know what happens now. Hope he doesn’t get out on bail or no bail a la Alvin Bragg…..
“The original bail reform law (still) allowed cash bail for almost all violent felonies and certain nonviolent felonies, such as sex offenses and witness tampering. The revisions (July 2020) added additional crimes and circumstances to this category. They include second-degree burglary where an individual is charged with entering the living area of a home, certain sex trafficking offenses, and promoting an obscene sexual performance of a child. They also include some crimes involving assault, including vehicular assault, and all charges alleged to have caused the death of a person.”
Judges have always had discretion in imposing bail. The bail reform law eliminated certain non-violent categories from cash bail. But all the categories above were added back three months after the bail reform law was enacted.
EdNy: presenting actual facts about bail reform? How dare you!
PS all indications are that bail reform is working. Shhh! Don’t tell anyone!
In addition to finding out if this criminal will actually be held in jail for a significant amount of time , we should also be made aware of his record. Yes….. I’m sure he has a criminal record and yes……. It does make a difference. Simple concept….. if criminals are kept in jail where they belong, they wouldn’t be out roaming the streets committing more crimes.
Good. Hope he actually does time for it. (Please let us know.)
The part about the victim escaping to another subway car reminds me of why I am dreading those new trains that don’t have doors between cars. No more moving to another car to escape dangerous people, pot smoke, extreme body odor, very loud people, and other train pests. The politicians who approved the new cars must not actually use the NYC subway system.
How does having doors between cars make a difference? If you can move to the next car (with or without a door), so can the perpetrator. Or am I missing something? The whole point of eliminating the doors is to allow passengers to move for a variety of reaons, especially to even out crowding. And if there’s an unpleasant environment, just move two cars away.
It does make a difference. Especially if you’re female and you feel unsafe. You can pretend you’re getting off at the next stop, then go to another car. That’s just one strategy. There are a lot of subtle threats women deal with every day that men are not aware of.
Yesterday a shirtless guy on the downtown A had his hand down his pants and was leering at me and the other women there. I changed cars. Problem solved, at least for me. Now imagine a train with no doors. Sickos walk through cars unimpeded looking for the most vulnerable people to bother. Someone with a weapon can do far more damage more quickly. The point is, doors slow them down.
And as far as crowding, that will happen with or without doors. People get in, find their spot, and don’t want to move, blocking the way to less crowded spots. It will be the same.
Great job by the Detectives for catching this perp so quickly.