Dispatches From Manhattan Criminal Court

100 Centre Street

The NY Times visited Room 129 at Manhattan Criminal Court yesterday, "It is one of the rooms on the main floor of the courthouse where many of the men and women arrested in Manhattan are arraigned," finding it humming with activity, even though it was New Year's Eve.

A 16-year-old Bronx high school student was hit with multiple charges, including possession of a weapon and consumption of alcohol in a public place: "It all started with a trip to McDonald’s. Joseph and his friends were walking to get some food on Broadway near 157th Street in Washington Heights about 8 p.m. on Wednesday. Police officers observed him carrying an uncapped bottle of DonQ Cristal rum, according to court documents, and found two knives in his jacket." Apparently one knife was the teen's—he'd been jumped before and wanted to be prepared next time—and the other knife was his cousin's—he was carrying it because the knife would have made the cousin's coat bulge.

And then there was a 29-year-old man who was arraigned for "urinating in the West Fourth Street subway station about 3 a.m." Hasani Powell told the Times, "I had to go really bad. I tried to hold it."

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

By Jen Chung in News on January 1, 2010 4:35 PM

Comments [rss]

Joshua

Are you people freaking crazy? Are some of you seriously condoning dumpage of human waste in public places?

Robert

I guess it was Minority Day in Room 129, it appears that the police arrested only minorities that night before.

theLtrain

Shit like this should've been overlooked for NYE.

LB

First off , The MTA has bathrooms in damn near every station . They use most of them for storage and for there employees . But I do feel for a person that has to take a leak and no where to go to do it . As long as it's done by the end of the platform where it's not viewable There shouldn't be a problem with it . As far as public toilets , I don't see how they will make a difference ! If you have to go really bad and say the damn thing is out of service , Inuse, Or you don't have that spare quater or whatever they will charge, What are you going to do ?

hoodlum

More public bathrooms please.

NattyB

Just join NYSC.

You'll have access to over 40 public bathrooms throughout the area. And it beats waiting in line at Starbucks with the junkies and bums.

MrCholly

They have NYSC inside the subways now.

MrCholly

Yes I agree 100%, until they provide more public bathrooms in the subway no one should be ticketed for public urination. I wonder if the MTA can be sued to provide bathrooms to their customers.