By Scott Etkin
Joseph Columbus, the owner of two pit bulls that attacked Penny the chihuahua on the Upper West Side at the beginning of May, remains at large after he did not show up Tuesday afternoon for a contempt of court hearing in New York Supreme Court.
A warrant issued last Friday for his arrest is still outstanding. That warrant and the contempt charge were issued when Columbus failed to appear for a hearing Friday and also failed to surrender his dogs, Rambo and Zooey.
“He shouldn’t have to be arrested to come in [to court],” Judge Phaedra Perry-Bond said at Tuesday’s proceeding. “He can freely come. He’s choosing not to.”
Ikiesha Al-Shabazz, Columbus’s attorney, was also not in attendance at the hearing on Tuesday afternoon. In a publicly available court filing, she wrote that Columbus did not appear at the last hearing because “he had some sort of panic attack on his way to court, and his family took him to the emergency room for treatment.”
The court’s orders seek to require Columbus to appear in response to a lawsuit filed by Penny’s owners, Lauren Claus and Devon Allen, and by Lauren Block, whose Shih Tzu dogs were attacked earlier this year by the same pit bulls. The suit says the plaintiffs seek compensation “for the injuries Defendant’s actions and the actions of his dogs have caused,” and the suit also seeks to “promote public safety, and ensure that both of the Defendant’s dogs are properly declared and recognized to be dangerous under New York law.”
At Tuesday’s hearing, attorneys for the plaintiffs said the city Sheriff’s Office failed to arrest Columbus when he was leaving the ER because sheriff’s officials interpreted a court order to mean that he could only be arrested between 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Perry-Bond corrected the order, saying that Columbus can be arrested anytime, since the point is to get him to show for court.
During the hearing, the plaintiff’s attorneys submitted for evidence a bodycam video from an NYPD officer, which showed police trying to contact Columbus at his apartment on the Upper West Side. There was no response, and police heard no noise inside the apartment.
One of the plaintiff’s attorneys also notified the judge of intent to file a motion for default judgment, which would ask for a ruling in their favor based on Columbus’s failure to respond to the lawsuit or act on the court’s requests.
“I’m concerned that the dogs are still out there, unmuzzled,” said Perry-Bond. “It’s about being a responsible dog owner.”
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Should’ve sent in ICE to arrest the guy – who apparently have more authority to nab people on the street than the Sherif – whoever heard of opening times for arrest!
Could someone confirm that his failure to appear is a crime in and of itself and is subject to penalties? One would hope so.
This guy is a real lowlife. The only good news is that perhaps this means he has left the city and is never coming back? Perhaps include a picture of him in the article so that if he is around, people can identify him and report him to the police.
Thanks to WSR for staying on top of this story. Much appreciated and great work!
” failed to arrest Columbus when he was leaving the ER because sheriff’s officials interpreted a court order to mean that he could only be arrested between 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.”
Is this for real ?
I know it’s New York, but ?
That stood out to me also… Are the sheriffs trying to let this guy walk? Or just incompetent?
Appears to be a bench warrant that was issued. The Sheriff or other authority should understand the timeframe is most likely when the court is open. There are no time limits on arrest or bench warrants, one can be arrested at any time. Search warrants can have time ranges.
Failure to appear additional fines and penalties can be applied.
Don’t forget he assaulted and battered two people! On camera!
yeah i’ve been wondering this as well, how is he not arrested for those actions?
Thank you WSR for staying on this. I suspect we will all learn something about our criminal justice system the more that emerges. Please don’t let this story fade into the woodwork.
Learn what? It’s typical.NYC liberals. They’re shocked that policies have consequences. NYC is downsizing the NYPD. The DA turns felonies into misdemeanors. No bail. Raise the age. Etc. Then the people who voted for this are shocked when this person isn’t immediately arrested and incarcerated. The people who wear FTP shorts are the first ones to call 911 and then don’t understand why they are put on hold.
Look at the front of that poor dog… Blood everywhere on its chest. I hope the police will be able to go after this creep.
I saw the schmuck walking his dogs unleashed in Central Park across W 69 st a few days ago. Does NYPD not want to get him in custody? Because that’s what it feels like
If you or anyone sees him call 911 immediately tell them that there’s a warrant for his arrest! “Joseph Columbus”
And you want him arrested!!
If I (We) see this ”lowlife” on the street, can I make a “citizens arrest” and call 911 to have him picked up?
At first, sounds like a sheriff too lazy or too afraid of the perp’s dogs to do his job. Arrest Columbus and his friend, who threw away their right to be regarded as human. This is a microscale echo of the gleeful no-consequences violence of the “government.”
Sometimes it feels like the cops just avoid making an effort. I have seen the guy at least 5 times on the street in the evenings past couple months.
“It’s about being a responsible dog owner.”
Seems like that ship sailed long ago.
Maybe Ms. Claus and friends should have a rally where they symbolically deliver a lump of coal for Christmas to Joseph Columbus.