After the Manhattan DA's office asked if anyone had information about a man accused of raping a woman in Riverside Park, at least 10 more women have come forward. This is an addition to three other incidents of allegedly trespassing and harassing women. A source tells the Daily News, "Women are calling every day, saying he stalked or harassed or in several other cases, attacked them. This was his real profession - harassing women." In fact, a Gothamist reader thanked us for posting the Manhattan DA's office contact information, because she said she had a scary run-in with Akassy, too.
"Multiple cases" were presented during a grand jury hearing, though the Post says it's unclear whether one of them was the assistant DA who was reportedly one of Akassy's alleged victims. Akassy's lawyer said that his client, who claims he is a TV reporter (but he's now apparently homeless—he was caught sleeping outside one woman's window), will testify on Monday and Akassy will say that the encounters were all consensual.
During the hearing, a prosecutor detailed the events leading up to, during, and after the allegd Riverside Park rape—"The defendant said that he wanted to show the victim a view of the trains nearby by the Westside Highway" but instead he allegedly attacked the woman—while Akassy' lawyer said, "These people were out on a date, and then this woman had a change of heart."
