Jefferson Siegel
Charges against Leshawn Marten were upgraded to manslaughter as a hate crime Tuesday in Manhattan court after Jeffrey Babbitt, 62, died following the assault.
A nutjob who fatally assaulted a stranger in Union Square after declaring he would punch the “first white man” he saw has been indicted for manslaughter as a hate crime and faces up to life in prison, it was revealed Tuesday.
The upgraded charges against Lashawn Marten, 30, who allegedly sucker-punched, 62-year-old Jeffrey Babbitt, were unsealed in an indictment filed in Manhattan Supreme Court.
Martin, who is black, allegedly threatened the cops who arrested him and blamed the victim for his bizarre behavior after he was taken into custody sted for the horrifying attack on Sept. 4.
Babbitt hit his head on the ground after sustaining the blow and later died at the hospital.
“Next white guy in uniform is going to be next. You’re next too. It is a bulls**t assault three. I’ll be out in thirty days,” the charged-up Marten said on Sept. 4.
“He said something about my momma and I punched him …You spelled my name wrong,” he allegedly blabbed to cops.
RELATED: LASHAWN MARTEN SAYS RACE NOT FACTOR IN FATAL ATTACK ON JEFFREY BABBITT
A psychiatric fitness exam was also ordered Tueday to determine if he’s fit for trial.
He was charged with manslaughter in the first- and second-degrees, assault, and attempted assault, all as hate crimes. He faces 25 years to life on the top count.
His attorney, Michael Croce, said “there’s definitely a reason to think he needs to be evaluated” and said prosecutors have overcharged Marten.
“I think the evidence will be lacking to show his intent to cause a serious physical injury,” he said.
Marten told the Daily News in an exclusive jailhouse interview that he wasn’t a racist because he’s assaulted people of different races.
“I’ve punched white people. I’ve punched brown people. I’ve punched Hispanic people,” Marten said last month.
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via Great Local News: New York http://newyork.greatlocalnews.info
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