Earlier this month, the Staten Island District Attorney's office decided to drop criminal charges against a man who killed Antonio Lacertosa, on the evening Lacertosa was celebrating his engagement at Espana restaurant. A reputed gangster, Redinal Dervishaj, who had fled NYC and was found in Chicago, claimed self defense, and a surveillance video apparently backed that claim. Now videos showing the fight have emerged online. more ›

A week ago, a Staten Island man was fatally stabbed outside of a restaurant where he and his high school sweetheart had been celebrating their recent engagement. Suspect Redinal Dervishaj was tracked down in Chicago this week and arraigned Friday on murder charges in the stabbing of 27-year-old Antonio Lacertosa. Despite fleeing the state after the incident, Dervishaj's lawyer claims that his client acted in self-defense: "I believe there were several people who were potentially attacking my client," lawyer Thomas Reilly said outside Staten Island Criminal Court. "It looks like he has a decent self-defense case." more ›

Two burglars who were inexplicably trying to break into a Met Foodmarket store early this morning thought they'd have the place to themselves. Instead they found an armed cleaning man with good aim. Now one of them is dead and one of them is on the lam. more ›

The McDonald's cashier who used a metal rod to beat up two customers who slapped him and then jumped over the counter at the West Village location sat down for an exclusive jailhouse interview with the Daily News today. Rayon McIntosh gave his version of events for the first time, and defended himself and the actions which may have left one woman with permanent brain damage: "I was just working at my job when I was attacked for no reason. I'm not a heartless person," he said. more ›

The McDonald's cashier who beat up two customers who slapped him and then jumped over the counter at the West Village location appeared in court yesterday. Rayon McIntosh, 31, was charged with felony assault and criminal possession of a weapon for using a metal rod to hit Denise Darbeau and Rachel Edwards last week. His co-worker testified that Darbeau was offended that McIntosh wanted to check the authenticity of the $50 she used to pay for her food, taunting, "Bitch ass n--ga, checking my money like it's fake." more ›

With the scumbag or scumbags behind a string of sexual assaults in South Brooklyn still roaming the streets, more women are getting ready to defend themselves. Cops have made a couple of arrests, but investigators believe several suspects are responsible, and over the weekend the official tally of assaults that fit the pattern was raised to 20. On Sunday, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn joined dozens of other women for a free self-defense class organized by the Center for Anti-Violence Education. Check out this photo of Quinn: our possible future mayor is ready to kick some butt. more ›

While Rayon McIntosh, the McDonald's cashier who was arrested after beating two unruly customers with a metal rod at the West 3rd Street joint, was charged with felony assault and criminal possession of a weapon, many people seemed to support his reaction. His dad points out to the Post, “You can’t go into a person’s workplace and attack them. Let’s be real now -- this was self-defense." more ›

The Queens woman who was acquitted of second-degree murder for killing her abusive, retired cop husband spoke out yesterday. Barbara Sheehan told reporters, "No victory right now. Somebody’s dead. I can’t say anything due to the case," and also said, "There are really no winners. I don't know what to say." more ›

The Queens woman who admitted to killing her husband was found not guilty of second-degree murder by a jury today. Barbara Sheehan, 50, had argued that she shot her husband Raymond in self-defense, fearing for her life after 17 years of abuse. more ›

Over three years ago, Barbara Sheehan shot her husband in their Howard Beach home while he was shaving. At the time, neighbors alluded to various domestic disturbances coming from the Sheehan house—one neighbor even clapped when Barbara Sheehan was led out of the house by cops while another said, "There's a reason she did this. He was free with his hands and she probably couldn't take it." Now, Sheehan is finally on trial and is claiming she killed her retired cop husband Raymond in self-defense. more ›

In the wake of several high-profile sexual assaults on hotel maids (remember this guy? And this one, too?), some hotels are now offering self-defense classes for their housekeeping staff. more ›

Yesterday, a video of a woman being attacked on a Park Slope street was made public, showing how her screams attracted the attention of neighbors, which then scared the man into releasing her. The attack occurred on March 20th, and residents say that the police didn't seem very interested in investigating the crime: One told WCBS 2, “Basically there’s a sense that the police aren’t going to do anything. And that encourages this kind of crime." more ›

A Brooklyn man allegedly strangled and killed his girlfriend during an argument in their Sunset Park apartment, while their 7-year-old daughter and other relatives were sleeping. Daniel Elias fled the apartment and told his aunt to have someone check on girlfriend Cynthia Lopez. Elias's sister, who was in the apartment, ended up finding the 29-year-old woman "lying face up in her bed, unconscious." more ›

Yesterday afternoon, a Bronx jewelry store owner attended to a well-dressed man and woman who came into his Arthur Avenue store. But when they put a gun to his head and told him to open the safe, Anthony Spinelli grabbed his licensed gun and fired at the couple, as well as the suspected lookout who was outside the store. WABC 7 asked how Spinelli was doing hours after the incident, and the 49-year-old said, "Nobody wants to be in that position... I'm fine, thank you. I can't wait to get home." more ›

After the fatal shooting of a Queens bodega owner during a robbery this past weekend, advocacy group Hispanics Across America recommended that bodega owners be armed in order to protect themselves and their businesses. HAA founder Fernando Mateo said, "We've gotten to the point where we need to provide firearms for these hardworking people." more ›

Earlier this morning at 2 a.m., a homeowner in Brooklyn shot a man who was breaking into his house on East 64th Street in Mill Basin. According to WPIX, the homeowner "saw someone in his front yard" and then "went to retrieve his gun and by the time he returned, the suspect was already broke into his home. The man shot the suspect twice in the torso." more ›

A Long Island man was arrested yesterday after firing an AK-47-style rifle in the air in an attempt to get a group of men off of his damn lawn. George Grier, 31, fired the shots on Sunday night while arguing with a group of Hispanic men on the lawn of his Uniondale home. No one was injured, but Grier was arrested and charged with criminal possession of a weapon and reckless endangerment. more ›

The man who was arrested for fatally stabbing a 25-year-old Yonkers man outside the Playwright Tavern in Times Square last weekend was released after a grand jury believed his claims that he was acting in self-defense. Atdhe Gashi, 22, cried in relief when he was cleared of all charges after a hearing in which his lawyer explained what apparently led to the violent confrontation. more ›

The Queens cop who shot her girlfriend twice in their Harlem apartment Monday morning is claiming self-defense, and it looks like prosecutors believe her. Ekeythia Dunston, an eight-year NYPD veteran, was beaten with a clothing iron on the head by her girlfriend Erica LeGall during the fracas, which erupted when Dunston received a "racy" text message from another woman. Dunston's lawyer tells the Daily News, "Her head was almost split open. It was a domestic dispute that escalated, and she had to defend herself. I think it is safe to say this relationship is over." Tell that to Hiram and Karla! more ›

Second Place in Carroll Gardens is one of the quietest, quaintest streets (places?) in Brooklyn, but one 30-year-old woman wants you to know looks can be deceiving. She was walking her dog around 3 a.m. on May 30th when she was nearly raped near her stoop, by a man who followed her as she returned to her apartment. "When I saw him at the gate, I thought s—, here we go," she tells Brooklyn Paper. "I walked away from my door because I didn’t want him to force me inside. I know it can get a lot worse if they get you inside." more ›

Brenddy Garcia, who fatally stabbed two men on a 2 train in March, was freed from Rikers Island yesterday. On Friday, a grand jury believed that he acted in self-defense and did not indict him for murder. The Post caught the 19-year-old "relish[ing] his first seconds outside of prison, beaming a big smile and deeply breathing in the fresh air," and Garcia sarcastically said to the reporter, "I’m a monster, right?" more ›

The 19-year-old accused of fatally stabbing two men on a downtown 2 train last weekend appeared in court yesterday, and was "hysterical." Brenddy Garcia (pictured) was ordered to be held at Rikers without bail; lawyer Pamela Roth said, "He was crying inside the interview booth and when he was standing next to me in the courtroom." more ›

The construction worker who was arrested for the vicious beating of a woman in a Midtown bar's bathroom told the police he was acting in self-defense. According to court papers, Mbarek Lafrem said, "She was trying to push me so I punched her in the face twice and pushed her back in the stall." more ›

Surveillance video from a camera outside the restaurant where a 16-year-old girl stabbed and killed a man on Christmas Eve refutes her claim of self-defense, the Queens DA says. Cyan Brown pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree manslaughter yesterday, and her lawyer maintains that the victim, 29-year-old Thomas Winston, threatened Brown, dumped beer on her and seemed as if he was going to hit her with the beer bottle outside a chicken restaurant near the 21st Street-Queensbridge F station in Long Island City. more ›

The 16-year-old girl who stabbed and killed a man she claimed had groped her near the 21st Street-Queensbridge subway station was hit with first-degree manslaughter and weapons possession charges that could put her behind bars for 25 years, according to the Times. Cyan Brown turned herself in yesterday after hiding out with relatives following the Dec. 24 incident, which left 29-year-old aspiring rapper Thomas Winston dead. more ›

The 16-year-old girl implicated in the fatal stabbing of a man who allegedly tried to force himself upon her is scheduled to appear before a police line-up today, according to the Post. The lawyer representing high school sophomore Cyan Brown told the tabloid the teen is "very upset" but maintains she has "a legitimate defense" in the stabbing death of 29-year-old Thomas "Black Box" Winston, who reportedly confronted the teen on Christmas Eve alongside a group of five to seven other men near the 21st Street-Queensbridge F train station. more ›

Relatives of the 29-year-old man fatally stabbed by a 16-year-old girl who feared he was going to rape her are urging the high school sophomore to come out of hiding. The family of Thomas Winston — who with a group of five to seven men allegedly accosted Cyan Brown near the 21st Street-Queensbridge F station on Christmas Eve — want Brown to turn herself in. more ›

After Harlem store owner Charles "Gus" Augusto shot at armed robbers who were pistol-whipping his employee, killing two of the suspects, the 72-year-old (pictured) lamented, saying, "I would have been happy if they'd all run out the door. I'm sick to my stomach over it," and "This is terrible. This is really awful." The NY Times revisited some store owners who have similar feelings: "A few owners said the shootings in their pasts, even those from decades ago, were still too painful to talk about. One, who would speak only anonymously, said, 'I’ve been trying to forget about this since it happened.'" But one, Youssouf Drame, was open about not regretting his decision. Last fall, Drame managed to wrest away a gun from robbers at his electronics store in Brooklyn (the robbers pistol-whipped one of Drame's employees) and killed two of the four robbers. He was shot seven times and showed the Times his scars, saying if he was confronted again, "I’d do worse...I worked so hard, and they wanted to take what is mine." And of the Harlem shooting at Augusto's store, Drame said, "How are you going to rob an old man like that?" more ›