For Contemptuous Calls from Recorded Rikers Phone Man Remanded But Laughs in Gallery

For Contemptuous Calls from Recorded Rikers Phone Man Remanded But Laughs in Gallery by Matthew & Russell Lee, Patreon Substack SDNY COURTHOUSE, Aug 20– A defendant charged with a range of crimes, from burglary to bribing witnesses to drugs and assaults was in 100 Centre Street's presentment part on August 20 - charged with repeatedly calling a woman over the recorded Rikers Island phones.    He has already been remanded without bail by NYS Justice Michele S. Rodney, so APAR1 Justice Janice E. Chen couldn't release him. Even so, as the day ended, he was seated in the courtroom gallery, where Inner City Press was.   Before him, defendant after defendant was released, for crack sales and injuring family members to strangulation - this last required a visit by the suretor of his bail, an MTA employee making $79,000 a year and living in Pennsylvania.    One defendant pled down from misdemeanor drug possession to a non-crime, to an Administrative Code violation: disorderly behavior on Eighth Avenue and 58th Street, Columbus Circle.   Two defendants were remanded, both due to parole violations. Then there was the repeatedly Rikers phone caller: remanded, but led out into the gallery where he sat laughing. Cell phone, anyone? *** Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron. Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com Mail: Box 130222, Chinatown Station, NY NY 10013 Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.  Copyright 2006-2026 Inner City Press, Inc. To request reprint or other permission, e-contact Editorial [at] innercitypress.com