Police Arrest Men in Beating Near Subway Station

Police have arrested three people suspected of beating a man and then pushing him down a flight of subway stairs - leaving him in a coma. WABC 7 said that one of their viewers called in the tip after the police released surveillance images of three men who live on Cherry Street: Sean Morales, Rodney Hopkins, and Jeffrey Valerrio, ages 17-22. Police say the three tried to rob Gary Schultz, who had just cashed a check at a check-cashing location in Chinatown. But when Schultz refused to give up his money, they attacked him, punching and kicking him on the ground, then throwing his body down the East Broadway F stairs. Schultz has been in a coma since the attack on February 7. The three had been in the check cashing location, trying to get money for a Metrocard; it's unclear whether or not they took Schultz's. The Post says that the three may be trying to claim self-defense, saying that they were scared Schultz had a gun. Okay, if someone has a gun, you run, you don't beat them into a coma.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on February 17, 2006 8:46 AM

Comments [rss]

surfer

family values. bad parents. no parents.

Papercutninja

No justice, no peace! Where's Reverend Al, isn't he outraged? Oh wait, he isn't because this isnt a crime that happened to black people.

Kojak

Both are trolls, ignore.

In this case, I would approve of an 'eye for an eye' approach to punishment. Each person involved should themselves be beaten by the person's family and then thrown down a flight of stairs.

Better then wasting tax money keeping them in a jail cell.

ethos

"The sad thing is they'll make more money than you when they work for the MTA.

Way, way out of line."

...As was comment #7, to say the least.

Brightliner

You also have to love this "self defense" claim. Um, when you outnumber somebody you threaten with bodily harm and they reach for a weapon, they're the ones who get to claim self defense. Besides, which is it, "self defense" or "he didn't have nothing do with" it? It can't be both. Something tells me these guys won't be getting scholarships to Harvard Law School.

Brightliner

And don't you just love the rocket scientist mother of one the the thugs"

"There are two sides to every story and I need to know both sides of the story. I hear one side, I'm not going by one side. I'm going by what my son told me, which was that he didn't have nothing to do with the man falling down."

What you mean, woman, is "I hear one side, and if it's not my son's side, I won't believe it." Face it, you were an irresponsible mother who raised a juvenile delinquent. Get used to monthly prison visits for more things your son will tell you he didn't do.

outtake

And I'll bet that this wasn't the first crime for these morons. The neighbors were certainly able to ID them pretty fast.

dana

...throwing his body down the East Broadway F stairs.

It's not a *body* if he's not dead, Jen.

Eryximachus

The only real question is: why do we allow these animals to thrive? It just doesn't make any sense.

bp

The sad thing is they'll make more money than you when they work for the MTA.

Way, way out of line.

Marilyn

No way! Those kids look like decent, respectful, human beings.....ok I'm lying, now where's my wallet.

Not reading your replies

The sad thing is they'll make more money than you when they work for the MTA.

rev pays

Those video stills do not show the body language of someone being scared.

Can you believe the mother of one of these animals saying it was self defense?

MT

Seriously. Some people are just animals and then they try to cover it up with blatant lies. After hearing the shenanigans of the Nicole DuFresne murderers, this is doubly infuriating.