Last Suspect in Antisemitic Times Square Assault Pleads Not Guilty, Due Back in Court in October

The sixth and final suspect, who was arrested in the unprovoked gang attack three years ago on a Jewish man, and arraigned at Manhattan criminal court last month, has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is next scheduled to appear in court again in October. Salem Seleiman, 28, was arrested on a warrant on May 10 at Tampa, Florida and extradited to New York. That was almost exactly three years after he, with five other men, allegedly assaulted a Jewish man near Times Square in an antisemitic hate crime attack on May 20, 2021 that was caught on video and went viral.The victim, Joseph Borgen, who was 29 years old at the time, and wears a yarmulke, was on his way to a pro-Israel rally, during an outbreak of violence in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas, when he was attacked. He suffered a concussion, psychological trauma, and an injury in his right wrist, which needed surgery and still causes him pain. “Seleiman is the sixth defendant to be indicted for the 2021 attack. All five of the other defendants have pleaded guilty and been sentenced,” the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, said in a statement. At the arraignment in June, prosecutors told the judge, Felicia Mennin, that Mr. Seleiman kicked Mr. Borgen in the face while he was on the ground, and told bystanders, who were trying to intervene and help Mr. Borgen, to leave the scene. “As alleged, Salem Seleiman disrupted a peaceful pro-Israel rally when he participated in a brutal antisemitic attack on a Jewish man,” the district attorney’s office stated. “Violently assaulting someone because of their religion is unacceptable, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners, community groups and local leaders to address attacks on the Jewish community.”Mr. Borgen, who did not attend the court appearance, told the Sun, “I think it sends a strong message that antisemitic crimes, or any hate crime for that matter, will not be ignored.” The other five defendants in the case have pleaded guilty and are all currently incarcerated. “Seleiman’s alleged conduct was abhorrent and many of the other individuals who joined him have already been convicted and are serving state prison sentences,” Mr. Bragg said in his statement. Mr. Seleiman was charged with one count of assault in the second degree as a hate crime, attempted assault in the second degree as a hate crime and assault in the third degree as a hate crime. He is additionally charged with attempted gang assault in the first degree. Mr. Seleiman pleaded not guilty to these charges, though his plea may change during the course of anticipated negotiations with prosecutors. Judge Mennin set his bail at $50,000. He is due back in court on October 3.

Last Suspect in Antisemitic Times Square Assault Pleads Not Guilty, Due Back in Court in October

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