BROOKLYN, N.Y. — A Brooklyn judge sided with the defense Tuesday in Kings County Criminal Court, ordering supervised release for an accused man after finding prosecutors “did not meet the burden” of proof needed to justify bail.
The accused, who was incarcerated and not present at his hearing, is a 25-year-old man who was charged with assault with intent to cause serious physical injury, two counts of third-degree assault with intent to cause physical injury and second-degree harassment involving physical contact.
The prosecution alleged that the accused threatened people at a public park by “waving” a knife at them on July 28.
His bail was set at $15,000 cash, $35,000 insured bond and $25,000 partially secured surety bond.
The accused’s public defender, Judith Olwen Karpatkin, said the bail was too high for the accused or his family to make and requested that it be eliminated. She argued that the prosecution had dramatized the charges to justify setting the bail.
PD Karpatkin said the accused did not “wave” the knife at anyone but that it was recovered on his person when he was arrested Aug. 5. She also said her client stole $12 worth of goods.
PD Karpatkin said the accused has a history of mental illness and that her employer, the Legal Aid Society, would provide him with appropriate mental health resources as well as a social worker to improve his living conditions and prevent future incidents.
Formerly incarcerated individuals who complete Alternative to Incarceration programs have a 55% rate of not being reincarcerated, according to the NYC Criminal Justice website. This is especially true for incarcerated people with serious mental illnesses, who make up 21% of New York City’s jail population, the Data Collaborative for Justice reported in April 2025.
Alternative programs provide mental health resources, address root causes of violent and nonviolent behavior and “allows participants to maintain family, housing and employment ties,” the NYC Criminal Justice website also reported.
Judge Juan Abreu was hesitant to release the accused because he has a history of not complying with court orders, including court-mandated sessions with the Brooklyn Justice Initiative, or BJI, according to court records.
The accused also has five open dockets in a different courtroom.
Judge Abreu said that although the accused is “dangerously close” to being persistently unwilling to comply with the court, he would grant him tier two, level five supervised release.
He said the prosecution “did not meet the burden” of proof needed to validate the bail requirements. He stated that no group or individual was hurt in the incident at the park and that $12 was not a substantial enough amount to warrant the bail either.
The accused is to complete an intake appointment with BJI by Friday, Aug. 14. His next court date is Oct. 6.
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Categories: Breaking News Court Watch National Court Watch Vanguard Court Watch Tags: ALternatives To Incarceration Bail Reform Brooklyn Justice Initiative Kings County Criminal Court mental health supervised release