Update on Court Case: Stabbing of Conductor Denaul Jenkins
MAY 13 -- A Bronx judge on Monday continued the $150,000 bail imposed on a man charged with stabbing Conductor Denaul Jenkins on Easter Sunday. During the court proceeding, authorities said the defendant, Walter Rivera, remains incarcerated on attempted murder, assault and other charges in connection with the attack at the 149th Street/Grand Concourse station.
“It’s good to hear this man remains behind bars,” TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano said outside the River Street courtroom. “He doesn’t belong on the streets or in the subway.” Utano, Maintenance of Way Vice President John Chiarello and RTO Train Operators Division Chair Zachary Arcidiacono attended the court proceeding in order to get a status report on the case, and to emphasize its importance to Local 100.
Rivera himself did not appear. Rivera’s lawyer waived his client's right to be present for the hearing. Local 100 expects Bronx prosecutors will secure a Grand Jury indictment against Rivera, which would move the case into a pre-trial stage. Jenkins, 33, was waiting on the platform for his train when Rivera punched and stabbed him several times for no reason. Jenkins, despite his serious injuries, managed to hold Rivera until police arrived and arrested him. “I had to hold him down because you can’t let somebody like that get away,” he later said.