A New York City judge released a repeat offender accused of a violent subway knife attack—only for the same man to be arrested weeks later for slashing another innocent commuter. The case has reignited criticism over lenient bail policies and a justice system that critics say prioritizes criminals over victims.
Police say 32-year-old Demitri Marshall was arrested Tuesday after slashing a 27-year-old man in the face near the East Broadway subway station. The attack was unprovoked. The victim, identified only as Fernando, said he had just left work and was walking home when Marshall suddenly struck him across the mouth and nose, requiring seven stitches.
“He’s a criminal who got released by a judge and he could’ve killed me,” Fernando said. “I don’t know why the justice system lets him go free.”
Marshall had already been arrested last month for a similar attack on a 21-year-old man aboard a Bronx subway train. Prosecutors requested $50,000 bail for that case. Judge Ralph L. Wolf instead granted supervised release. Now, Marshall is being held without bail on a felony first-degree assault charge.
The earlier victim was hospitalized and survived, but prosecutors had warned of the risk Marshall posed. According to records, Marshall has been arrested at least seven times since 2012, with prior charges for robbery, burglary, fare evasion, and two other assaults on transit riders. He served over a year in state prison for a 2023 robbery and was released on parole earlier this year.
Despite the pattern of violence, the court previously chose not to detain Marshall pretrial. A spokesman for the Office of Court Administration declined to address the case specifically but defended the court’s discretion, saying bail decisions are based on individualized assessments of flight risk—not public safety risk.
Marshall’s next court appearance is scheduled for October 30. Both victims, and many New Yorkers, are left wondering why a known violent offender was allowed back on the streets at all.
