Bronx teen who was let out of jail only to allegedly commit murder is out again
A Bronx gangbanger who was cut loose by a judge only to allegedly murder an innocent man months later is out of jail again, The Post has learned.Steven Mendez, 17, accused of shooting 21-year-old Saikou Koma in the head during a botched gang hit in Fordham Heights last year, was set free Tuesday when Supreme Court Justice Naita Semaj dismissed the indictment against him, the Bronx District Attorney’s office confirmed.
Semaj gave prosecutors leave to present their case in front of a grand jury, which by law must happen within 45 days. The DA’s office had no further comment.
Koma’s distraught mother, Haja Kaira, told The Post she broke down in tears while streaming Mendez’s court appearance.
“When I hear the judge say, ‘Release him.’ To be honest, I had to stand up,” Kaira said. “I could not believe it. I said out loud, ‘What! Release him?!’”
Judge dismisses murder charge against bodega clerk who claimed self-defense in fatal stabbing
A Manhattan judge dismissed a murder charge Tuesday against a bodega worker who fatally stabbed a man earlier this month in what the worker’s legal team argued was a case of self-defense.
Jose Alba, 61, had been charged with second-degree murder in the killing Austin Simon, 35, on the night of July 1. Surveillance video of their confrontation shows Simon came behind the bodega counter and shoved Alba, who then grabbed a knife and stabbed Simon multiple times.
Alba’s attorneys had argued that he acted in self-defense, noting the size and age difference between the two men.
‘That is literally his job’: NYC garage security worker is charged with attempted murder after shooting thief who shot him twice – and now Manhattan DA Alvin Braff faces pressure to drop charges
- The incident occurred at a Midtown parking garage early Saturday morning
- The attendant confronted the suspected thief who pulled a gun on him, which led to scuffle and both men being shot
- The charges are reminiscent of those brought by DA Alvin Bragg against a bodega clerk who killed an irate customer in self defense last July
The nightside worker, Moussa Diarra, 57, was slapped with assault and criminal possession of a weapons charges in the Saturday incident, which occurred at around 5.30am.
The attendant saw a man peering into the car windows on the second floor of the West 31st Street garage, reported the New York Post.
Diarra lunged for the gun and it went off, leaving him with a stomach wound and an ear graze before he was able to turn the firearms on the alleged thief and shoot him in the chest.
The culprit, Charles Rhodie, 59, was also charged with attempted murder, assault and criminal possession of a weapon, in addition to burglary, according to police.
The charges against Diarra have left many confused and livid, as they are reminiscent of the case against Manhattan bodega clerk Jose Alba, who was charged with murder following a fatal confrontation on July 1 with an angry customer who accosted him.
A family friend of Diarra’s was irate: ‘That’s self-defense. The guy tried to rob his business. Why DA want to charge him with attempted murder?’ said Mariame Diarra, of no relation to the attendant.
‘He’s there for security. That’s literally his job, to defend his business … He takes his job seriously … Attempted murder charge has no place there,’ she continued. ‘He [the robber] came to find him at his job with his gun, he [the attendant] has to defend himself.’
An individual who works at another garage near the Moynihan Train Station was also shocked and disturbed by the charges: