A 23-year-old with eight prior arrests was busted in the shocking caught-on-video bottle attack on a New York City subway cellist — and she was promptly cut loose Thursday despite pleas that she be held on bail.
Amira Hunter was nabbed Wednesday night, 15 days after she allegedly bashed Iain S. Forrest, 29, in the head as he performed in the Herald Square station.
At her arraignment Thursday on second-degree assault charges, Manhattan prosecutors argued for $15,000 cash bail or $45,000 bond, noting that Hunter has failed to appear at three of her five court dates in other criminal cases last year.
“The People have little faith that she will return to court of her own volition,” prosecutor Alexandra Robertson told Judge Marva Brown in Manhattan criminal court.
Hunter, of Brooklyn, also had a bench warrant out for her arrest in two cases involving petit larceny, according to the Manhattan DA’s Office.
Her last arrest was in October on grand larceny charges for allegedly stealing two bathing suits worth $2,050 from Bergdorf Goodman, sources said.
She also was arrested twice for assaulting her mom in 2019, sources said.
But despite her criminal history, Brown set Hunter free on supervised release — even though the jurist could’ve set bail on the assault charge, a violent felony, under current law.
Hunter was caught on video allegedly whacking Forrest in the head with his own metal water bottle as he performed “Titanium” by Sia underground on Feb. 13.
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW:
Forrest was left traumatized over the terrifying assault.
“I hadn’t touched my cello since being attacked in the NYC subway … until today,” Forrest revealed in an X post Wednesday where he showed off some free gifts from a music company.
The Mount Sinai PhD student, was not seriously injured, said he is still “feeling demoralized and saddened” by the incident and can’t “bring myself to play music.”
However, he did manage to play a bit inside his apartment after using the new tools that D’Addario Orchestral, an instrument supply company, sent him.
Last week, Forrest announced he was suspending his subway performances “indefinitely” and called on the NYPD to protect musicians.
“Two attacks in less than a year is two too much,” he said in an Instagram post. “I have been punched, choked, and now bashed in the head.
“I love performing for you all in the subway, but I’m at my breaking point and can’t take more injury or harm,” he said.
Forrest participates in the MTA’s Music Under New York program, which schedules musicians to hold performances at Big Apple transit hubs.
Forrest and others started a coalition, the Subway Performers Advocacy Group, to demand better security from the city to protect musicians.
“No one in the transit system, including the musicians, should be subjected to violence, and when the NYPD catches up to the person who committed this senseless attack, they will be held accountable,” the MTA said in a statement.
Once a person has more than one offense on their record, there should be no question of release, even with bond posted, and certainly never without. The American justice system is severely lacking in cases like this. Career criminals such as the woman about whom this article was written unquestionably belong behind bars. Make her serve the time, and don’t give her any breaks. She lost that privilege a long time ago.
HATE CRIME!!!!!
If the picture was in a negative aspect, that’s exactly what would be charged!
AND there’d be rioting and looting. HATE CRIME!!!
Just shows you who the people New Yorkers voted into office don’t care about them. How much more do they need to abuse you before you stop voting for democrats?
Is their an honest judge In New York who has any concern for the safety of INNOCENT CITIZENS OVER the welfare of PREVIOUSLY CONVICTED VIOLENT CRIMINALS WHO ARE ARESTED FOR REPEAT VIOLENT CRIMINAL ACTS? They repeatedly
“SPIT” IN THE FACE OF INNOCENT VICTIMS and
CODDLE AND REWARD CRIMINAL GARBAGE.
The levels of government and the judiciary system
in NEW YORK ARE OCCUPIED BY THE DUMBEST,
MOST CORRUPT, DEGENERATE POLITICAL TRASH
IN AMERICAN HISTORY!
Seriously, eight prior arrests???? WTF??? People ought to start hunting down this Trash and dispense them like the Trash they are.