Just like their other politicians, NY voters pick the judges, so ....
/Shot, April 5th:
Stepfather who confessed to strangling his teenaged stepson is released without bail.
A stepfather charged with strangling his 15-year-old stepson to death earlier this year was freed without bail by a notoriously lenient Bronx judge on Wednesday — despite a request by prosecutors that he be remanded.
Tyresse Minter, 28, was indicted for criminally negligent homicide and manslaughter last week for allegedly fatally choking his teen stepson Corde Scott inside their Westchester Square apartment on Jan. 23, the Bronx District Attorney’s Office announced.
Minter was arraigned on Wednesday in Bronx Criminal Court before Judge Naiti Semaj, who ordered he be released on his own recognizance, even though the DA’s office asked he remains locked up ahead of his trial, prosecutors said.
The stepdad — who was on parole after being released from prison a month earlier — allegedly put his stepson in a chokehold during an argument in their home, cutting off the teen’s oxygen supply, according to the DA’s office.
Minter then allegedly wrapped his legs around Scott and held him until he lost consciousness. The teen died at the scene.
Semaj, a Democratic judge who was elected in 2021 after earlier serving in Bronx Civil Court, has a history of cutting loose allegedly violent offenders.
In one case last May, she sparked outrage after she ruled in favor of 16-year-old rapper Camrin Williams, known as “C Blu,” who was accused of shooting and wounding an NYPD officer during a scuffle while he was on probation for a prior gun case.
Semaj ruled the cop had no reason to search the teen during a Jan. 18 incident and Williams’ case was dropped.
Who she is:
Bronx judge rips grieving mom before cutting her son’s accused killer loose
A soft-on-crime Bronx judge ripped a grieving mom in court before cutting her teen son’s accused killer free without bail, court records obtained by The Post show.
Bronx Criminal Court Judge Naita Semaj on Wednesday refused to delay the arraignment of ex-con Tyresse Minter for just a few minutes so that the heartbroken mom of teen victim Corde Scott could face the accused killer, according to court transcripts.
“What does that have to do with what we’re doing here?” Semaj snapped at Bronx prosecutor Christopher Conway when he asked if the judge could wait for mom Karen Glenn to arrive.
Conway said Glenn was in the hallway outside the courtroom.
“I understand that you might want her to be sitting here in the courtroom, but what does that have to do with the actual task at hand?” Semaj told the prosecutor.
“Everyone else is here. I am here. And for you to say that the only reason you’re not ready right now is that the mother of the victim hasn’t gotten here yet?” she said.
“If you think for a second I’m going to stop what I’m doing, second call this case for the mother to get here — are you serious?”
Semaj showed more respect for Minter, ordering the ex-con released despite Conway’s request he be held without bail and Minter’s own public defender asking for $10,000 bail.
CHASER: In New York, justice depends on whether there’s sufficient public outcry
April 6th: NYC man freed after choking stepson to death is rearrested
The Bronx ex-con freed without bail after being charged with strangling his 15-year-old stepson to death was rearrested Thursday.
Gov. Kathy Hochul said Tyresse Minter — who was released Wednesday by a lenient Bronx judge after getting hit with manslaughter and negligent homicide charges in Corde’s Jan. 23 slaying — was back in police custody over a parole violation.
“My top priority is public safety,” Hochul said in a statement. “Earlier today, the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision issued a warrant for Tyresse Minter, and he is now in custody.”
Hochul said the Department of Corrections was “initiating the parole revocation process” on Minter over his arrest for allegedly slaying the teen.
Minter, 28, was arrested on an attempted murder charge in 2018 but cut a sweetheart deal and pleaded guilty to assault. He was sentenced to state prison in 2019 and was released in December.