Mayor Adams Says Chinatown Stabbing Another Reason For State To Review Bail Reform
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The suspect in the deadly stabbing of Chinatown resident Christina Lee was arraigned Monday on multiple charges.
CBS2 has learned he was out on bail at the time, and Mayor Eric Adams is calling it another reason the state needs to review bail reform.
Sources tell CBS2 25-year-old Assamad Nash had seven prior arrests dating back to 2015. Sources say his criminal history ranges from selling swiped MetroCards and damaging MetroCard machines to assault and harassment for an incident involving a man on the subway back in September on the Lower East Side.
He was out on bail when police say he killed Lee.
"He should not have been on the street. We should do a better job of making sure dangerous people are not on the street," Adams said Monday.
The mayor said Nash is the poster child for bail reform, given he had three open cases, including assault and possession of stolen property.
"I am optimistic of the energy that we are going to work together to stop the feeders of crime and make sure our city is safe," Adams said.
CBS2's Political Reporter Marcia Kramer asked Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie about bail reform. He said he was open to discussions but is afraid that every horrible crime, like the Chinatown stabbing, will be used to push an agenda the legislature might not be able to support.
"Everything that people find frustration to them about what's going on, it's just so easy to just blame bail reform. I don't think that does any of us a good service, if we're really trying to get to the solutions," he told Kramer.
Adams met with Heastie and Senate President Andrea Stewart-Cousins to solve the city's issues, but said whether he gets bail reform changes or not, he still has to keep the city safe.
"I can't turn around say, 'Well, I didn't get help from different places, so now my city is not safe.' Nope, I'm not accepting that," he said.
Nash is now facing burglary and murder charges in Lee's death.
