It's a common misconception that former State Senator Hiram Monserrate was cast out of the senate for slashing his girlfriend's face with broken glass and dragging her through his building lobby by the hair. Sure, he was ultimately convicted on a misdemeanor charge of intending to injure Karla Giraldo, and surveillance footage seems to show a scene straight out of a Hagar the Horrible cartoon. But that's just what THEY want you to think, insists Giraldo, who has filed a $35 million lawsuit accusing prosecutors, cops and hospital staffers of conspiring to destroy her innocent beau. more ›

Now that Hiram Monserrate is allowed to see girlfriend Karla Giraldo again, he's not wasting time getting back to the delicate art of seduction. The Daily News reports that right after a judge modified his restraining order, he whisked her back to her apartment so she could change for their romantic dinner. As he waited, he remarked, "You always gotta be patient with women, right?" You know, unless you find another man's PBA card in her purse. Then they were off to Cavo in Astoria, where he "fed [her] olive dip on a piece of pita bread." How did this Casanova manage to stay single this long?! more ›

Now that girlfriend Karla Giraldo is no longer "under any coercion or undue influence" of everyone's favorite slasher Hiram Monserrate, the same judge who acquitted Monserrate of felony charges has downgraded the order of protection that has kept the two apart. How romantic! Giraldo said today, "I love him and I want to be with him." more ›

Hey ladies, do you have "a thing" for fat political hacks who drag their lovers around by their hair and slash their faces with broken glass? If so, we've got just the guy for you. His name is Hiram Monserrate, and he is back on the market! more ›

State Senator Hiram Monserrate, who was found guilty of misdemeanor assault for "accidentally" slashing his girlfriend with a broken glass, was sentenced to probation and community service earlier this month. However, his Senate colleagues were harsh in their 55-page assessment of his actions. According to the NY Times, the panel found he "behaved recklessly and callously after his companion was hurt during an argument at his Queens home, failing to call 911, dragging her violently through a hallway and taking her to a hospital miles away." more ›

At the sentencing hearing for State Senator Hiram Monserrate (D-Queens), who was convicted of misdemeanor assault for slashing his girlfriend in the face, Justice William Erlbaum said that three years probation for the freshman senator—plus a 250 hours of community service, a year of domestic violence counseling, and a $1,000 fine—was "what any other person gets in this situation." Still, Queens DA Richard Brown, whose office was hoping for 60 days in jail, said, "In my opinion, [Erlbaum] should have provided for a jail term more ›

State Senator Hiram Monserrate, who was convicted of misdemeanor assault, was sentenced to 250 hours of community service. 52 weeks of domestic abuse counseling and three years of probation. The assault conviction stems from an incident where he allegedly accidentally slashed his girlfriend in the face a year ago. more ›

State Senator Hiram Monserrate is expected in court today, to face sentencing for his misdemeanor assault (of his girlfriend) conviction. WCBS 2 reports, "The Queens District Attorney was expected to ask for only 60 days in prison instead of the maximum of a year, because D.A. Richard Brown reportedly wanted to make sure Hiram Monserrate attends a program for people who batter their mates. That would only be mandatory if Monserrate was sentenced to 60 days or less." Hmm. more ›

Things are not looking good for State Senator Hiram Monserrate. The NY Times reports that the Queens Democratic party is "expected to dump" him, after his misdemeanor conviction for reckless assaulting his girlfriend: "It is extremely rare for a party to seek to unseat one of its own incumbents, even those dogged by scandal." more ›

Since Justice William Erlbaum found State Senator Hiram Monserrate guilty of reckless assault when he slashed girlfriend Karla Giraldo with a broken glass, but found him not guilty of intentionally slashing her, she wants the judge to lift the order of protection that prevents her from being with Monserrate. The Post reports that her lawyer wrote to the judge saying the couple would like to resume their "intimate relationship ... without further unnecessary interruption or delay." more ›

The panel to investigate whether State Senator Hiram Monserrate should face disciplinary action, in the wake of his misdemeanor for assaulting his girlfriend, has been set. Senate majority conference leader John Sampson (D-Brooklyn) said, "Violence against women is simply unacceptable and will not be tolerated. It has no place in the world. It has no place in the Senate. As a father with daughters I am not only angry, but I'm pissed off. But as a leader I cannot let my personal feelings supercede the individual rights of each member. While there may be many calls for our colleague to resign, that is his choice and his choice alone." more ›

After State Senator Hiram Monserrate was found guilty of a misdemeanor related to assaulting his girlfriend (he was acquitted on two felonies; he and his girlfriend have also insisted it was an accident), some of his State Senate colleagues demanded he step down. Now, others are joining in the call for Monserrate to step down—including Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand. more ›

State Senator Hiram Monserrate's girlfriend spoke to the Daily News about her love for Monserrate: "I love him. We love each other and we want to be together again." See, Karla Giraldo hasn't been able to see Monserrate ever since a judge placed an order of protection preventing him from contacting her—since he slashed her last December with a broken glass—"I never asked for an order of protection. Now that the case is over, what is the reason for keeping us separated? I feel that the justice system has been unjust to me." more ›

Sure, State Senator Hiram Monserrate wants to marry his girlfriend Karla Giraldo (at least according to his lawyer)—but there is a snag: That pesky order of protection that prevents Monserrate from contacting Giraldo, since he slashed her face with a broken glass last December! Monserrate and Giraldo both said it was an accident—and Monserrate was acquitted of two felony charges related to the incident but found guilty of a misdemeanor—but the judge still needs to remove the order. more ›

Yesterday found State Senator Hiram Monserrate not guilty of felony assault charges but guilty of a misdemeanor—"recklessly causing physical injury" to his girlfriend Karla Giraldo during a December incident where Monserrate slashed her in the face with a broken glass. Today, Monserrate's lawyer Joseph Tacopina said on Good Day New York, "She loves him, as she testified in court. As he said yesterday, he loves her...And they're looking to get back together and resume their marriage...uh, relationship." To which GDNY anchor Rosanna Scotto said, "Will they get married?" and Tacopina replied, "Maybe I said marriage, maybe I let the cat out of the bag, but that's where it's heading." more ›

Queens Assistant District Attorney Scott Kessler delivered closing arguments yesterday in state Sen. Hiram Monserrate's assault trial—and he's sure somebody is a liar. According to the Daily News, the prosecutor argued that the senator's girlfriend, Karla Giraldo, was telling a lie or two in hopes of keeping Monserrate a free man—and from losing his Senate seat. more ›

Yesterday, the defense rested in the trial of State Senator Hiram Monserrate. The Queens Democrat is accused of slashing his girlfriend Karla Giraldo on purpose in a jealous rage (he and she both say it was an accident) and faces felony charges. Monserrate opted for a bench trial, so Justice William Erlbaum will decide on a verdict; Erlbaum said, "I don’t know how this thing is going to turn out as we sit here today" more ›

During the bench trial of State Senator Hiram Monserrate, who is accused of assaulting his girlfriend last winter, Justice William Erlbaum threw out two of the prosecution's charges against Monserrate. The charges were ones that claimed the freshman, coup-loving Senator acted recklessly when he slashed Karla Giraldo's face with a broken glass; Erlbaum reasoned that they conflicted with the prosecution's claim that Monserrate acted intentionally. more ›

The assault trial of State Senator Hiram Monserrate has adjourned for the weekend after yesterday's dramatic testimony from his girlfriend Karla Giraldo. The victim explained inconsistencies with her initial accusations that she was attacked by Monserrate to her current version that a glass broke on her face by saying that she was so drunk that night that "my mind was in another planet." Despite her previous grand jury testimony saying she only had a couple glasses of wine, Giraldo said that she was so drunk that she could not remember banging on a neighbor's door looking for help or telling a doctor that Monserrate attacked her while being treated for the cuts that would leave her with 40 stitches. more ›

[Updated Below] Karla Giraldo has taken the stand today in the trial against her boyfriend, State Senator Hiram Monserrate, who is accused of cutting her face with a broken glass in a jealous rage that required Giraldo to receive 40 stitches. After initial fears that prosecutors who subpoenaed Giraldo may have to treat her as a hostile witness, it appears she has been cooperative in her testimony. She admitted to being drunk when she arrived at Monserrate's apartment, contradicting of her grand jury testimony. And Girlado claims that the state senator was "jealous but not angry" upon finding another cop's PBA card on her. more ›

The police officer whose PBA card allegedly incited the jealous rage of Hiram Monserrate is married and denies knowing Karla Giraldo, the state senator's girlfriend who needed 40 stitches to heal from Monserrate's alleged attack. The Post claims that longtime NYPD vet Water Loor is the man whose card has been used as evidence in Monserrate's ongoing assault trial. Monserrate is seen throwing the card down the trash chute on the surveillance video where he apparently drags Giraldo down the stairs. The Post says investigators determined that Loor's relationship with Giraldo had nothing to do with his job or the violent incident. more ›

During State Senator Hiram Monserrate's assault trial, a nurse testified that his girlfriend Karla Giraldo begged that he not be allowed into the room where doctors were examining the cuts on her face, saying, "He's crazy! He's crazy!" And an ER doctor testified that Giraldo yelled, "I can’t believe he did this to me! My face! My face! I can’t believe my face!" more ›

Today in Kew Gardens opening arguments were heard in the bench trial of State Senator Hiram Monserrate, who faces three counts of felony assault against his girlfriend, Karla Giraldo. The Daily News reports that the prosecutor accused Monserrate of flying into a jealous rage at finding another man's business card in his girlfriend's purse, and attacked her with a glass of water, saying, "You want the water? You want the water? Here's your water!", slashing her face with the broken glass. more ›

State Senator Hiram Monserrate, who faces three felony charges related to allegations that he slashed his girlfriend's face last year, will now receive a bench trial, instead of a jury trial; jury selection was supposed begin today. Monserrate, who is a freshman Senator and who was part of the coup in Albany earlier this summer, has maintained his innocence, that a glass fell and accidentally ended up cutting girlfriend Karla Giraldo on the face. Giraldo also says it was an accident (though some hospital workers claim she indicted Monserrate may have acted purposefully)—the scar required 20 stitches to close. The NY Times notes that court documents say "Video cameras at the Jackson Heights building where Mr. Monserrate lives captured scenes of a violent confrontation between the couple." Monserrate's lawyer suggests that the video was spliced together in a damning fashion and says that Monserrate was actually trying to make Giraldo go to the hospital. Queens DA Richard Brown is confident in his office's case, "We have become leaders in successfully prosecuting domestic violence cases without the cooperation of the victim, who is so often reluctant — or fearful — to testify against her accuser." more ›

The Daily News reports that State Senator Hiram Monserrate refused to take a plea deal for "reckless assault" misdemeanor which is why he's headed to court to face charges that he allegedly assaulted his girlfriend with a glass. The News points out the plea would have allowed him to avoid jail time and keep his Senate seat, but if he's found guilty on one felony count (he's charged with three), he "faces seven years in prison and would automatically lose his seat." The paper got hold of "secret" grand jury testimony—Monserrate's girlfriend Karla Giraldo said that when the hospital "realized he was a politician... They started gossiping and calling the police... They were telling me he was at a hospital of crazy people, that he was married out in Central America, many things more for me to be angry and upset and to sign a complaint against him, but I was not going to sign because I always said from the beginning that this was an accident." But a cosmetologist says Giraldo called her before going to the hospital, saying, "I'm very afraid, I don't want anyone to see my face," plus there's also a video allegedly showing Monserrate roughly yanking Giraldo in the apartment building hallway. His lawyer simply said he's is innocent and ready for trial. more ›

State Senator Hiram Monserrate (D-Queens), the once turncoat-then-turnaround again Democrat, will now have to stand trial for the assault he allegedly committing on his girlfriend last year. His lawyer tried to get the charges dismissed, but a judge said certain evidence could stand and that a trial would begin on September 14. more ›

All eyes continue to focus on the one wildcard at the center of this week's madness in Albany, Senator Hiram Monserrate. The Times has a profile on his controversial history seemingly always amidst chaos—from his retirement from the NYPD due to a psychological disability to onetime speculation that he was connected to the Church of Scientology. Meanwhile, Room Eight makes the whirlpool around Monserrate swirl just a little more rapidly, piecing together a timeline of when the state senator traded up to an incredibly expensive attorney in his assault case coinciding right around the time that he and Senator Pedro Espada began sitting down with billionaire Tom Golisano, plotting the Senate takeover. Wherever that money is coming from, it sounds like Monserrate's going to need it. In a court filing about the condition of Monserrate's girlfriend Karla Giraldo that was just released, prosecutors state, "According to the doctor, some of the wounds were very deep, extending through the skin and muscle down to the bone." more ›

State Senator Hiram Monserrate's claim that one of the grand jurors who voted to indict him for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend is a police officer who works at the very precinct that investigated the Queens Democrat. According to the Daily News, a 105th Precinct cop "recognized one of his colleagues sitting in the jury box" while testifying in front of the grand jury. The cop allegedly told prosecutors, who then told him "not to worry about it"; the cop also told a private investigator working for Monserrate. The state senator's lawyer Joseph Tacopina said, "It was incumbent upon the [prosecutors,] who were aware of the relationship ... to ensure that the grand juror not hear testimony from his fellow officer or participate in the proceedings." Tacopina also says the prosecution's case is flawed beyond this grand juror, suggesting the surveillance video that shows Monserrate "violently" jerking around his girlfriend after the alleged assault was edited together to look damning. Monserrate, in the meantime, has pleaded not guilty to the charges and maintains his innocence. more ›

A judge has refused to release the video that allegedly shows State Senator Hiram Monserrate yanking girlfriend Karla Giraldo "viciously and violently" around his Queens home. Monserrate will stand trial for assaulting Giraldo with a broken glass, an incident that required her to get twenty stitches on her face. His lawyer said of the video, "We won't even get a chance. It's adding fuel to the fire. It's totally inflammatory." The request to release the video was made by the Daily News, but the judge thinks that the powerful images would taint potential jurors. He said, "The defendant will not get a fair trial. It has the great potential for prejudice. A picture is indeed worth a thousand words...it causes the blood to boil." He also told Moserrate's lawyer, "You and your client have to make your peace with this exhibit. You'll have to cope with it...It's inevitable that it's going to come out." more ›

State Senator Hiram Monserrate was arraigned on felony assault charges related to a December incident where he allegedly used a broken glass to hit his girlfriend. Karla Giraldo, who needed 20 stitches and was left with a black eye, initially told hospital staff and police that Monserrate hit her, but later recanted. Outside the courthouse, Monserrate repeated his position, "From the very beginning, I've said this is an accident. Karla has said this is an accident. Ladies and gentlemen, what occurred on December 19 was an accident. This district attorney's office had discussions with me about a plea, a non-felony plea that had attached to it no jail time. I said unequivocally, 'no,' because I am innocent." more ›