A Career Criminal Released Without Bail After Assaulting Elderly Man on NYC Subway
Johnson Earl, a 44-year-old career criminal with a history of 14 arrests, was recently released without bail after being charged with second-degree assault for brutally attacking an 83-year-old man on a Lower Manhattan train. The incident occurred on December 20 when the victim accidentally bumped into Earl’s foot, leading to a violent confrontation on a southbound No. 5 train approaching the Fulton Street station around 6:10 a.m. Earl punched the elderly man in the face, instigating a brawl that culminated in him putting the victim in a chokehold and continuing to assault him, according to authorities.
The victim sustained cuts on his face and head from the attack and sought treatment at the Kings County Hospital Center. Earl has a history of violent incidents, including a previous arrest in July for assaulting a security guard at a 99-cent store in the Bronx. Despite prosecutors’ request for bail, Earl was released back onto the streets under supervised release by Judge Beverly Tatham.
Earl’s legal troubles extend beyond assault charges, with past arrests for criminal possession of a weapon and marijuana possession. He has a long history of run-ins with the law, including at least four other assault arrests dating back to 1999.
Despite his criminal history, Earl’s Legal Aid Attorney, Lizzie-anne Beal, defended his release, stating, “I will just say that he was rightfully released.” Earl is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 27 to face the assault charges.
The incident is part of a concerning trend of violence in New York City’s transit system, with 579 felony assaults recorded by the NYPD’s transit bureau in 2024. While overall major crimes in the transit system decreased by 5.4% compared to the previous year, the city still grapples with a rise in violent incidents, including ten murders reported on the rails, matching a 25-year high set in 2022.
Source: New York Post
