Robert O’Hare
CRJ 102-Crimonology
Professor Satenik Margaryan, Ph.D.
Term Paper-Step One: The Case
March 3, 2024
On Saturday, January 15, 2022, at approximately 9:40 a.m., at the West 42 Street and Times Square Subway Station located in the Borough of Manhattan, within New York City, the victim in this case, Ms. Michelle Alyssa Go, a forty-year-old Female/Asian, was pushed from a southbound subway platform into the path of an oncoming New York City Subway ‘R’ Train by an unidentified male, who fled the scene, causing her death. This male, initially identified as Mr. Simon Martial, and then later correctly identified as Mr. Martial Simon, at 9:53 a.m., walked into the New York Police Department (N.Y.P.D.) Transit District # 2 Station House, located at Canal Street, and informed Officers there that he had pushed a woman in front train. Mr. Simon was soon transported to the N.Y.P.D. Midtown Precinct South Detective Squad. Mr. Simon made statements during his custody admitting to the fact he had pushed Ms. Go in front of the train including, “Yeah because I’m God. Yes, I did. I’m God. I can do it. She stole my f-ing jacket, that’s why,” “when asked about his motive.”1
The N.Y.P.D. Police Commissioner, Keechant Sewell, advised members of the press that, “This incident was unprovoked, and the victim does not appear to have any interaction with the subject.”1 Assistant Chief Jason Wilcox, of the N.Y.P.D. Detective Bureau, further advised, “The suspect had first approached another woman, who was not Asian who became alarmed and moved away. She feels that he was about to physically push her onto the train. As she is walking away, she witnesses the crime where he pushes our other victim in front of the train.”1
Ms. Go was “. . . a senior manager at the top consulting firm Deloitte-and volunteered as an advocate for the homeless.”2 Michelle Go was graduate of New York University’s Stern School of Business. She volunteered at the New York Junior League “. . . where she helped those struggling to get and stay on their feet, including the homeless”3 according to a Junior League representative.2
On Friday, January 19, 2022, Mr. Simon, a 61-year-old Male/Black, was arraigned in front of Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Paul McDonnell and charged with Second Degree Murder. The prosecutor, Hunter Carrell, stated to Judge McDonnell that Mr. Simon “admitted his guilt in three separate conversations with transit officers, detectives, and Assistant District Attorneys.” “In addition, video places the defendant on the scene, and an eyewitness identified the defendant in a double-blind photo array.”3 The hearing was held virtually while Mr. Simon was at Bellevue Hospital.3 The Criminal Complaint stated that Mr. Simon, “used both hands to push the victim.”4 Judge McDonnell ordered that Mr. Simon be held and submit to a psychiatric evaluation. Mr. Simon’s next court date was scheduled for Friday, February 23, 2022. Mr. Simon is being represented by Mr. H. Mitchell Schulman, an attorney from the New York County Defender Services.
At the time of the incident, Mr. Simon, was on Parole for a 2019 Attempted Robbery and was wanted on a Parole Warrant for violation of the conditions of his Parole following his release from prison in August 2021.
During March 2022, Mr. Simon was “. . .declared unfit to stand trial by psychiatrists at Bellevue Hospital.”5 The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office (D.A.N.Y.) had requested time to review the case. On Tuesday, April 19, 2022, D.A.N.Y. “. . .decided not to contest the psychiatrists’ finding and Simon was remanded to the custody of the Department of Mental Health and Hygiene until he is fit to stand trial.”5
According to Mr. Simon’s attorney, he “. . . expected his client to be transported to either Kirby Forensic Psychiatric Center on Wards Island off Manhattan or to Mid-Hudson Forensic Psychiatric Center, about 65 miles or an hour’s drive northwest of New York City.”5.
The New York Times reported that in 2017 Mr. Simon, “. . . told a psychiatrist at a state-run hospital it was only a matter of time before he shoved a woman onto train tracks.”5.
Mr. Simon’s family has said, “. . . he suffered from schizophrenia and has been in and out of mental health facilities for over 20 years.”6.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
1 Celona, Larry, et al., “Deranged man pushes Asian woman to death at Times Square subway station,” New York Post, Published January 15, 2022, Updated January 20, 2022, 12:19 P.M. ET, Accessed March 3, 2024.
https://nypost.com/2022/01/15/woman-pushed-to-her-death-at-times-square-subway-station/?utm_source=url_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons
2 Kessen, Ben, et al., “What we know about Times Square subway shove victim Michelle Go,” New York Post, Published January 16, 2022, Updated January 17, 2022, 9:19 A.M. ET, Accessed March 3, 2024.
https://nypost.com/2022/01/16/what-we-know-about-times-square-subway-shove-victim-michelle-go/?utm_source=url_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons
3 Lapin, Tamar, et al., ‘Judge orders psych evaluation for Times Square subway shove suspect,” New York Post, Published January 19, 2022, Updated January 19, 2022, 2xx25 P.M. ET, Accessed March 3, 2024.
https://nypost.com/2022/01/19/judge-orders-psych-evaluation-for-fatal-subway-shove-suspect/?utm_source=url_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons
4 Rovini, Rana, “DA: Man in Woman’s Deadly Times Square Subway Shove Used Both Hands to Kill Her,” “A 40-year-old Asian woman was pushed to her death in what appears to have been an unprovoked attack in Times Square over the weekend,” News 4 New York, Manhattan, Published January 19, 2022, Updated January 19, 2022, 9:55 P.M., Accessed March 3, 2024.
https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=2ccb5e1b6a4bbf3fJmltdHM9MTcwOTQyNDAwMCZpZ3VpZD0zMGI3YmUxNi05ZmM0LTY0YzItMjliNy1iMmQ5OWU0YzY1MDAmaW5zaWQ9NTI3MA&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=3&fclid=30b7be16-9fc4-64c2-29b7-b2d99e4c6500&psq=woman+pushed+in+front+of+train+in+times+square&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubmJjbmV3eW9yay5jb20vbmV3cy9sb2NhbC9jcmltZS1hbmQtY291cnRzL21pY2hlbGxlLWdvLXRpbWVzLXNxdWFyZS1zdWJ3YXktc2hvdmUtZGVhdGgtdHJhaW4tbWFydGlhbC1zaW1vbi8zNTAzMDY3Lw&ntb=1
5 Wallace, Danielle, “Michelle Alyssa Go Murder: Alleged NYC Subway Shover Mentally Unfit for Trial,” Fox News, April 20, 2022, 8:55 A.M. EDT, Accessed March 3, 2024.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/nyc-subway-shoving-suspect-michelle-alyssa-go-murder-mentally-unfit-trial-suspended-psychiatric-custody.print
6 DeGregory, Priscilla, “Martial Simon sent to mental facility over Michelle Go’s fatal subway shove,” New York Post, Published April 20, 2022, 7:10 P.M. ET, Accessed March 3, 2024.
https://nypost.com/2022/04/20/martial-simon-sent-to-mental-facility-over-michelle-gos-fatal-subway-shove/?utm_source=url_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons
accessed March 3, 2024.
https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=2ccb5e1b6a4bbf3fJmltdHM9MTcwOTQyNDAwMCZpZ3VpZD0zMGI3YmUxNi05ZmM0LTY0YzItMjliNy1iMmQ5OWU0YzY1MDAmaW5zaWQ9NTI3MA&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=3&fclid=30b7be16-9fc4-64c2-29b7-b2d99e4c6500&psq=woman+pushed+in+front+of+train+in+times+square&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubmJjbmV3eW9yay5jb20vbmV3cy9sb2NhbC9jcmltZS1hbmQtY291cnRzL21pY2hlbGxlLWdvLXRpbWVzLXNxdWFyZS1zdWJ3YXktc2hvdmUtZGVhdGgtdHJhaW4tbWFydGlhbC1zaW1vbi8zNTAzMDY3Lw&ntb=1
6 Wallace, Danielle, “Michelle Alyssa Go Murder: Alleged NYC Subway Shover Mentally Unfit for Trial, Fox News, April 20, 2022, 8:55 A.M. EDT, Accessed March 3, 2024.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/nyc-subway-shoving-suspect-michelle-alyssa-go-murder-mentally-unfit-trial-suspended-psychiatric-custody.print
7 New York Post Editorial Board, “If Michelle Go’s killer is unfit for trial, why was free to roam streets in the first place?” New York Post, Published April 20, 2022, Updated April 20, 2022. 5:55 P.M. ET, Accessed March 3, 2024.
https://nypost.com/2022/04/20/if-michelle-gos-killer-is-unfit-for-trial-why-was-free-to-roam-streets-in-the-first-place/?utm_source=url_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons
8 DeGregory, Priscilla, “Martial Simon sent to mental facility over Michell go’s fatal subway shove,” New York Post, Published April 20, 2022, 7:10 P.M. ET, Accessed March 3, 2024.
https://nypost.com/2022/04/20/martial-simon-sent-to-mental-facility-over-michelle-gos-fatal-subway-shove/?utm_source=url_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons
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