Charges Dropped Against Man Accused of Beating Fireman

A grand jury has decided not to move forward with assault charges against a man arrested in connection with a September 7th fight at the Staten Island ferry terminal in Manhattan that left firefighter Matthew Dugan, 34, in critical condition. Doctors had to put Dugan, who is still hospitalized but in stable condition, into a medically induced coma after two operations to reduce the pressure on his brain. Police say the fight started after Dugan entered the terminal with his girlfriend, Sandy Wong, around 1:30 a.m. after a night of drinking. When Wong slipped on some stairs, Rasheeim Turner and two pals started laughing; Dugan told them to shut up, and was attacked.

Surveillance video led police to Turner, 20, after they identified him in a second video made by the Staten Island motorcycle club, "N2 Deep." But an anonymous source tells the Daily News that jurors may have considered the altercation a "one-on-one fight." The source says, "[The grand jurors] believed the defendant's actions were justified. The judge dismissed the case and sealed it." A relative of Turner's told reporters outside his Staten Island that the grand jury's decision "speaks for itself."

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

By John Del Signore in News on September 25, 2009 12:25 PM

Comments [rss]

Bernie Madoff-Goetz

PS: Don't ever give these gangs of feral thugs an excuse to start the confrontation they spend so much of their time wandering around the city looking for. Ignore them no matter what comes out of their mouths. They are spoiling for a fight and *any* response will justify one to them.

Bernie Madoff-Goetz

The real grand jury must be on vacation and replaced by the P.C. one they use on Law & Order.

kswissreject

Turner better hope his home doesn't catch on fire, I doubt the firefighters will be quick to respond to that.

hotstepper

playground shenanigans.

Wza

Definitely fishy.

theevilone

Wow, there must not have been a functioning brain cell amongst members of that grand jury. Sheesh.

sexisicilian

What the french?? I agree with all of your comments, where is his girlfriend who witnessed this whole incident?! Something is definitely not Kosher here!!

DarkGemini

It sounds to me like while everyone was in the middle of piling on, they failed to realize that the most important witness, one that the grand jury was able to review, wasn't quoted in the blurb above...

...what was on the surveillance video that convinced the Grand Jury not to pursue charges?

LICer

This does all sounds very fishy. Still, Turner sounds like a real punk-@ss who deserves to get a fire truck through his house.

LICer

Sounds like it's time for some vigilante justice, since the system has failed this man. I say the FDNY ram a truck through Turner's house, or better yet beat him senseless with hyrdant wrenches.

Rocknrope

Good to know that me and my friends can beat someone into a coma and get away with it. And how did the jurors come to the conclusion that it was a one-on-one fight? And even so, does that mean its justified?

Strange all around.

chuzzlewit

i, too, am confused as to how you can beat the fuck out of someone and not be charged with a crime. makes me nervous.

Spirit of 76

How is it justifiable to beat a man senseless then leave the scene? If you want to plead self-defense, at least stick around until the cops arrive.

NannyState

Exactly. Forever, flight equaled guilt in the eyes of the law now this. Stunning.

JacqueMehoff

what? and one kirsten dunst theives can get up to 15 years?

S.D.

Huh? How's that work?

From the article in the Daily News:

"The firefighter was knocked to the ground and his attackers continued to punch and kick him, witnesses told police"

They attack him, kept assaulting him when he's down and it's NOT a crime?

WTF?