Chiarello: Five Year Prison Term for Station Agent Assault is Not Enough
MAY 16 – TWU Local 100 President John V. Chiarello said a five-year sentence handed down against a 30 year-old man who assaulted NYC Transit Station Agent Baboo Singh was still not enough, considering the suffering the Agent went through.
Union members and officers crowded the courtroom on the 6th Floor of the Bronx County Hall of Justice as they waited for the sentence to be handed down against Anthony Williams by Judge Ralph A. Fabrizio. Williams' sentence also included five years' supervised release, psych evaluations, fines and a protective order.
"What this man endured -- the beating, and the fear that he has every day, is just unbelievable. We're asking for MTA CEO Janno Lieber to use the MTA police as a strike force against these hideous crimes that are happening to our members," Chiarello said. "You beat up our members, you're going to do jail time."
Station Agent Baboo Singh was doing his job in uniform on the morning of September 12th 2023 at the Nereid Avenue stop in the Bronx when Williams, 30 years old, attacked him without provocation. He punched and kicked him in the head, face and body, breaking his nose and a facial bone. Williams was out on $1 bail after assaulting a Correction Officer.
Station Department VP Robert Kelley, who has brought members of his department out to every court date, rain or shine, said:
"Unfortunately, we didn't get the full 7 years. We got 5. We feel let down -- although we do appreciate all the work the ADA did on this case. Someone assaulted a law enforcement officer, and got out on a dollar bail, only to turn around and assault one of our members. That makes no sense at all. What's wrong this this system? We've got to do better."