As you are aware the attacker - Richard Arrocho of the train operator Darryl George who was assaulted while doing his work on Friday July 22, 2011 was arraigned in the Bronx County Criminal Division Court on September 21, 2011 around 4:17 PM.
It was a long and exhaustive day: from early in the morning when the court opened its door at 9 AM, after entering the court house and going through the metal detectors, emptying all your pockets then collecting your wallet, then heading to the information kiosk to find the floor, and court room number alas - we were joyful to find the familiar name of the judge Boyle, D who previously handled the bus operator attacker Steangali Medina on Septemebr 12, 2011.
The floor was lower level 2 the court room number was 260 the case number was 02421-2011 - we opened the door and entered the court room. The courtroom is wide with high ceilings and is well lighted almost as if you were in an auditorium. We sat on the second row behind the assistant district attorney since the front row was reserved for lawyers.
There were three bailiffs (they handle paper work) then there are four court officers (they handle the defendant) two of them were females. On the district attorney side there were two assistant district attorneys, both males - one is tall and bearded while the other is average height with a short hair cut. They had support staff of one female then the legal aid society had their coordinator in court - there is no court without the stenographer in addition to a language translator.
We were eager initially - when we checked the list of the defendant posted outside the courtroom, the list was fashioned on a manner of alphabetical order by the last name Arrocho which was the second on the list. The minutes kept ticking, the hours kept advancing and the counsels with their talks made the court house as an open bazaar. Case after case we were in the valley of emotions when judge Boyle was generous with dismissals we were apprehensive. The cases covered a wide range of social ills, whether it be fraud, psychiatrist, robbery, drugs, assault, extradition, domestic assault or prostitution.
Defendants ranged from 12 years old to 89 years old. For the teenager who robbed stores on Fordham Road judge Boyle accepted his guilty plea but gave the teenager a break no jail time but rather five years probation. The elderly man who assaulted another fellow elderly with a walking stick was unable to walk and he could not hear or see clearly therefore the judge afforded the elderly man a seat and spoke to him in a loud voice. The judge accepted a guilty plea from the elderly man and gave him a probation of three months coupled with being put in an elderly supervised program three times a week.
By noon the court officer went into high gear and at 1230 they had a lock down (code red) in securing the defendants who were ordered to jail. Then afterwards the cases that were called were not major but from the courtroom floor, then the court was winding down for the lunch break at 1 PM. The courtroom lunch break was one hour and fifteen minutes therefore the courtroom reconvened at 2:15 PM.
Wished that we went to the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankees day game at 1:05 in which the Rays lost 4-2. However we headed to seek nutrition then went back to the pace in the courtroom which was much slower with the family members (mothers) who were weeping for their children.
Then by 4:05 PM court officer called out Arrocho, Richard name to be produced from the interior cell. However before he could appear another case was called - Arrocho Richard was finally produced at 4:17 PM.
Arrocho, Richard
Case# 02421-2011
Judge Boyle, D
Court Part A
Building 265
Lower Level - Courtroom 260
Arrocho Lawyer is
Ms. Trudy Strassburger
Bronx Defenders
Telephone: 718-838-7879
When he came out of the interior cell Arrocho, Richard was beaming with a smile, his height is 6 feet about 180 pounds and he looked like he had gained a few pounds. He had a white T-shirt, sweat pants and was swiveling around. He was led by a court officer and was trailed by another once at the defendant table - the charges were read aloud by the bailiff who asked Arrocho what his plea was - Arrocho responded ‘not guilty’. Ms. Strassburger requested the shortest time possible. Then judge Boyle gave October 5th 2011 - part H-92 Wednesday - then Arrocho was led away.
We were disappointed John E Samuelsen president of TWU Local 100 Take Backward Our Union TBOU, was missing, and Kevin Harrington vice president of the rapid transit operations who was also missing. Stephen A Downs chair of train operator division was missing as well - when asked why he did not appear in court his response was he was not aware thus indirectly saying that the members are on their own and we just take their dues.
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