Monserrate To Be Arraigned, Colleagues Can Donate Legal Fees

Photograph of State Senator Monserrate taken earlier this week by Mike Groll/AP

State Senator Hiram Monserrate (D-Queens) will be arraigned today on felony assault charges. He is accused of assaulting his girlfriend Karla Giraldo with a broken glass, leaving with her a black eye and a gash that required 20 stitches. And it seems that his colleagues are allowed to chip in for his legal expenses.

Monserrate has claimed it was an accident and Giraldo, after initially telling the hospital that he hit her, also says it was an accident. The first-year State Senator says the incident occurred when he tripped and broke a glass he was bringing to her. However, the police and Queens DA's office felt there was enough evidence (surveillance tape, neighbors in the apartment building) to bring the case to a grand jury. The grand jury indicted him earlier this week.

The NY Times reports that Monserrate's fellow Democrats have been discussing helping him "during a closed-door meeting... this week. Though senators were not directly asked to contribute, Majority Leader Malcolm A. Smith told them he would not stand in their way if they wanted to assist Mr. Monserrate." However, GOP Senators have been calling for his resignation.

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By Jen Chung in News on March 27, 2009 10:23 AM

Comments [rss]

NannyState

"The first-year State Senator says the incident occurred when he tripped and broke a glass he was bringing to her."

Yeah, just like in The Grifters: "Take whichever one you like..."

bittinho

Total creep. I don't even see how its possible to trip and cut someone's face with a glass. That's a one in a million accident. Also I saw his statement on NY1 to the effect "I've always said this was an accident, my girlfriend always said this was an accident"...oh yeah, except when she reported it to the police as an assault. What a loser scumbag.

succubus

I've never had any contact with this guy that I didn't find him (and/or his entourage) completely obnoxious.

whitecastlerock

Why anyone would want to contribute to the legal defense of this creep is beyond me.

mocanlagunas

He's innocent of course... his girlfriend tripped and fell right on his fists... repeatedly...

gnipgnop

is it me, or is this guy come off like a giant lying creep who beat the piss out of his woman? i don't know, maybe it's just his beady eyes & the Tony Soprano haircut.