Yonkers police, lawmakers fume after man accused of punching officer released without bail
YONKERS, N.Y. -- Police and political leaders in Yonkers are angry that a man was released with no bail after punching a cop in the face and breaking his nose.
It happened near Cypress Street and Yonkers Avenue on Sept. 6., after police answered a call for an unresponsive man on the sidewalk.
"They were incredibly professional. They were compassionate. They did everything right," PBA President Keith Olsen said.
Olsen said the entire incident was caught on bodycam.
As officers patiently tried to convince 39-year-old Johnny McCray to sit in an ambulance, he suddenly punched a male officer right in the nose.
McCray was later charged with assault. Police said that's when Judge Maurice Williams added insult to injury. The district attorney asked for $150,000 bond, but the judge released McCray without bail, despite his long record and already being out on parole.
"The message it sends to me is that that judge values that suspect more than he values our police officers," Yonkers Police Commissioner Chris Sapienza said.
Sapienza said McCray told the judge he was sorry and had an upcoming job interview, before being released without bail.
"For him to just let out a violent suspect under those circumstances is irresponsible," Sapienza said.
For Mayor Mike Spano, it was a symptom of a larger problem.
"Just a 'soft on crime' attitude that permeates throughout the system," Spano said.
The injured cop is on leave with a broken nose. He had only recently transferred to Yonkers from Bedford, a quiet community in northern Westchester.
McCray had no comment as he left court Tuesday. He showed up, as required, to have a GPS tracking bracelet attached to his ankle.
Late Tuesday, a spokesman for Judge Williams told CBS New York that based on the information the judge had, he decided release with GPS monitoring was the most appropriate form of guaranteeing McCray would return to court.