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I pushed a Muslim, says NY woman who shoved
to death an Indian
Sunday December 30, 2012 11:06:32 AM,
IANS
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New York:
A 31-year-old woman suspected of shoving an Indian immigrant in
front of a subway train has been charged with second-degree murder
as a hate crime after she told the police that she hated Hindus
and Muslims since 9/11.
Prosecutors Saturday identified the woman, who allegedly shoved
India-born Sunando Sen of Queens, in front of a subway train
Thursday as Erika Menendez of Bronx.
"(She) said in sum and substance 'I pushed a Muslim off the train
tracks because I hate Hindus and Muslims ever since 2001 when they
put down the twin towers I've been beating them up,'" Queens
District Attorney Richard A. Brown said in a statement.
Witnesses cited by CNN said a woman paced the platform and talked
to herself Thursday evening shortly before pushing Sen as the
11-car train entered the station.
The body of 46-year-old Sen, a graphic designer for posters who
ran a small copying business called New Amsterdam Copies on the
Upper West Side, was pinned under the second car after it came to
a stop.
The woman made "statements implicating herself in the death of
Sunando Sen," Paul Browne, the New York Police Department's chief
spokesman, said earlier. Security video showed a person running
from the scene.
Menendez was identified Saturday afternoon in a lineup, Browne
said. She was recognized earlier in the day on a street in
Brooklyn by a passer-by who called 911, the police spokesman said.
The caller said she resembled the woman in the video.
"The defendant is accused of committing what is every subway
commuter's worst nightmare-being suddenly and senselessly pushed
into the path of an oncoming train," said Brown, the district
attorney.
"The victim was allegedly shoved from behind and had no chance to
defend himself. Beyond that, the hateful remarks allegedly made by
the defendant and which precipitated the defendant's actions can
never be tolerated by a civilized society."
Menendez is expected to be arraigned by Sunday morning. If
convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. By
charging her with murder as a hate crime, the possible minimum
sentence she faced would be extended to 20 years from 15 years,
according to prosecutors.
Ar Suman, a Muslim, and one of three roommates who shared a small
first-floor apartment with Sen in Elmhurst, told the New York
Times that he and Sen often discussed religion.
Though they were of different faiths, Suman said, he admired the
respect that Sen showed for those who saw the world differently
than he did. Suman said he once asked Sen why he was not more
active in his faith and it resulted in a long philosophical
discussion.
"He was so gentle," Suman was quoted as saying. "He said in this
world a lot of people are dying, killing over religious things."
Reacting to the suspect woman's statement, the New York chapter of
the Council on American-Islamic Relations repeated its call for
America's political and religious leaders to speak out forcefully
against growing anti-Muslim hate in American society.
"We again urge our nation's leaders to speak out forcefully
against the rising level of anti-Muslim hate in American society
that is being fueled and exploited by a vocal minority of
Islamophobes," said CAIR-NY Executive Director Muneer Awad.
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