Mayor Eric Adams should demand the resignation of a Queens judge who cut an ex-con loose nearly three months before he wounded an NYPD cop in a deadly shootout, an irate city lawmaker said Thursday.
Councilman Robert Holden said in a scathing statement that Queens Criminal Court Judge Edward Daniels, who was appointed to the bench by Adams in April, dropped the ball when he released career criminal Gary Worthy without bail — despite pleas from prosecutors and a parole officer to lock him up.
Worthy, 57, allegedly tried to rob two Jamaica businesses on Tuesday before he shot and wounded a 26-year-old woman and NYPD cop Rich Wong, who returned fire and killed the ex-con.
New York City Councilman Robert Holden (above) said Mayor Adams should demand the resignation of Queens Judge Edward Daniels over his decision to release ex-con Gary Worthy. Getty Images
Mayor Eric Adams appointed Edward Daniels to the criminal court bench in April, calling him “the best and brightest.” Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images“Mayor Adams called Judge Daniels one of the best and brightest and said public safety is a prerequisite to prosperity,” Holden (D-Queens) said in the statement.
“Yet, Daniels’ decisions have shown a stunning lack of judgement,” he railed. “Denying requests to detain someone with Worthy’s violent record does not reflect the integrity we need in our judges. Mayor Adams must act swiftly to remove the judge he appointed before more violence occurs.”
A rep for Adams, whose administration is the subject of a federal probe that has raised questions about his choice of aides and staffers, said the mayor is “outraged” over the situation involving Worthy, but argued Hizzoner can’t order a judge to resign.
“This is a prime example of the criminal justice system failing our city, and while demanding the resignation of a judge is not a power the mayor has, we are hopeful the criminal justice partners will be better collaborators with us in the future,” a City Hall spokesperson said in a statement.
The Post reported this week that Worthy was on lifetime parole with two stints in state prison and a rap sheet with 17 arrests when he went before Daniels on Aug. 27.
Gary Worthy, 57, was on lifetime parole after 17 arrests and two stints in state prisoin when he was killed in a shootout with the NYPD last week.
NYPD Officer Rich Wong shot and killed Gary Worthy despite being wounded in an exchange of gunfire. Kyle Mazza/SOPA Images/ShutterstockWorthy’s parole officer told the judge that he had not showed up for required meetings with him in three months, and asked Daniels to hold him without bail at Rikers Island, while the Queens prosecutor requested that Worthy be held on $120,000 bail on the new felony assault and burglary charges he faced.
Instead, Daniels ordered that Worthy be released without bail.
Earlier this month, Worthy — whose prison time included a sentence for manslaughter — was arrested again on drug and resisting arrest charges and remained free.
“It was a dangerous error to release this individual after he committed violent crimes while on lifetime parole,” NYPD PBA President Patrick Hendry said in a statement Thursday.
“The judge responsible should absolutely be held responsible,” Hendry said. “It’s time to take a careful look at the process by which judges are placed on the criminal bench. We need to have fair-minded judges who prioritize public safety.”
In a statement to The Post on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the state Office of Court Administration, which oversees the judicial system, said the agency does not comment on bail matters.
Security camera footage obtained by The Post shows one of two attempted robberies by Gary Worthy before he was shot dead in a gunfight with police. NYPostNew York state judges are prohibited from setting bail in most cases due to the controversial 2019 criminal justice reforms passed by Albany lawmakers. However, the felony charges Worthy faced in August — as well as his parole status and lengthy record — could have mandated bail.
Daniels is a former public defender in Queens, heading the firm’s homicide bureau.
The call for Adams to take action comes as the mayor finds himself under investigation by federal authorities.
In September, Adams became the first Big Apple mayor to be indicted, with federal prosecutors in Manhattan alleging that he took bribes, free flights and other perks from foreign nationals.
The historic indictment alleges that Adams fraudulently received $10 million in campaign funds from shady donors.
The investigation has ensnared several hand-picked administration officials, including school Chancellor David Banks, NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban and fundraiser Brianna Suggs, whose home was raided by the feds.
The scandal even prompted chief counsel Lisa Zomberg to quit after she pushed Adams to fire other potentially controversial City Hall staffers and the mayor refused.
Adams, meanwhile, has vowed to fight the charges.
