A Manhattan judge chided prosecutors on Wednesday for not initially asking that a teenager accused of taking part in a violent gunpoint robbery be held on monetary bail.
Hunter Robinson, 16, was indicted on a robbery charge for the Jan. 6 incident in which he and four other teens allegedly jumped a 15-year-old boy, stealing his wallet, phone, coat and shoes before pistol-whipping him.
At his hearing about the indictment Wednesday, Robinson’s public defender indicated that prosecutors would be making a bail application in the case — but Acting Supreme Court Justice Stephen Antignani wasn’t having it.
“I’m not changing the bail conditions today,” the no-nonsense jurist said.
“First of all, this is my courtroom,” Antignani interjected, when Assistant District Attorney Edward Smith pushed back.
“I make the determination,” he continued. “Not you. Not the DA’s office. I do.”
The judge questioned why the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office hadn’t requested monetary bail at Robinson’s arraignment on Saturday, instead asking that he be released with monitoring and a curfew.
Acting Supreme Court Justice Stephen Antignani put his foot down when Assistant District Attorney Edward Smith challenged him in the courtroom. Dan BrinzacThe judge at that hearing, Melissa Jackson, had flatly refused, sending Robinson to a juvenile detention center. The teen’s lawyer had also tried to get Antignani to reconsider on Monday, to no avail.
“The office has to be consistent with what they do,” Antignani said Wednesday, adding there was no new information in the case for him to consider, other than the indictment.
He added that if the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office wanted the teen freed, then prosecutors shouldn’t have gone forward with the indictment.
Hunter Robinson, 16, was indicted on a robbery charge. Steven Hirsch“You had an easy solution. You chose not to use it,” he said.
The judge emphasized the seriousness of the allegations, including that Robinson and four others mugged the young victim “using two separate guns.”
“His sister was the one who allegedly called the victim to set it all up,” Antignani said of Robinson, whose mother sat in the gallery crying.
The prosecutor stressed that Robinson has no criminal history, unlike the other defendants in the case, who include a pair of brothers accused of firing gunshots that hit an NYPD cop. Robinson also isn’t accused of actually brandishing one of the firearms used in the robbery.
Antignani said he would consider a bail package at a later date. Robinson’s next hearing in the case is set for Feb. 23.
