A homeless ex-con who randomly punched “Ghostbusters” actor Rick Moranis in a caught-on-video attack in Manhattan was sentenced to two years in prison on Tuesday.
Marquis Ventura, 37, wore orange jail garb and matching restraint mittens for the hearing in Manhattan Supreme Court, remaining stoic as he learned his fate, handed down by Justice Diane Kiesel.
“No, your honor,” he told Kiesel after she asked if he wanted to address the court.
Marquis Ventura waiting to hear the court’s final decision from Justice Diane Kiesel. Steven Hirsch
Ventura randomly punched “Ghostbusters” actor Rick Moranis in Manhattan. WireImageVentura was also sentenced to three years of probation after pleading guilty earlier this month to several counts of assault for cold-cocking Moranis on the Upper West Side nearly two years ago.
He admitted to blindsiding Moranis, then 67, on Central Park West in October 2020, and also copped to six other charges in connection with four other unprovoked attacks as part of a plea deal with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
The same day as the attack on the comedian, now 69, Ventura punched the owner of a Soho liquor store before swiping a bottle of champagne. He was also accused of beating up a 61-year-old bodega customer in Soho.
In one attack, on a straphanger at the West 4th Street subway station, he was given a desk appearance ticket and released. He was also suspected of an earlier attack on a subway train in the Bronx.
Ventura has been diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic, according to his lawyer.
Rick Moranis was assaulted by Marquis Ventura. SplashNews.comA rep for Moranis didn’t return a request for a comment.
