Queens court dismisses petition to release eight defendants from Rikers jails

Eagle photo by David Brand

By David Brand

A Queens Supreme Court judge on Wednesday dismissed a petition to release eight defendants who defense attorneys said were at risk from the coronavirus inside Rikers Island jails.

Justice Kenneth Holder presided at the virtual court hearing and ruled against freeing the eight defendants, who were among 20 Rikers inmates included in a mass writ filed by Legal Aid defense attorneys last week. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz opposed the release of the eight defendants Wednesday.

The defendants included a Christopher Ransom, a man charged with felony murder for his alleged role in the death of police detective Brian Simonsen in February 2019. Simonsen was shot and killed by fellow officers while responding to a 911 call at Richmond Hill cell phone store.

Another defendant, Frantz Petion, is charged with raping a 10-year-old girl. A third, Armando Santiago, is accused of committing a series of home invasions in 2019. 

Katz did not respond to an email seeking information about why her office opposed release of the five other defendants.