Rashid Brimmage, his victims — and a system that’s designed to fail
By Post Editorial Board
June 17, 2020
Despite more than 100 arrests, Rashid Brimmage was free to walk the streets and allegedly push a 92-year-old woman to the ground for no reason. Matthew McDermott
Rashid Brimmage sums up so much of what’s wrong with city services: Despite more than 100 arrests, he was free to walk the streets and allegedly push a 92-year-old woman to the ground for no reason.
At long last, Wednesday saw him held on $50,000 bail. His social worker says he suffers from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder; he’s plainly not getting enough help with that — nor has the public been protected from him.
Brimmage was nabbed Tuesday for knocking the elderly ex-teacher to the ground, as seen on video. Though her head hit a hydrant, she says her injuries were minor but she’s now suffering psychologically. “I’m fearful to walk the streets alone,” she told The Post.
In all the years Brimmage has been getting arrested — more than 100 times, with 36 convictions — he’s nonetheless remained free to roam the streets. This year alone, he was:
- Busted for a misdemeanor and harassment charge in The Bronx in February.
- ?Nabbed for trespassing March 5.
- Arrested on March 9 for criminal possession of a controlled substance, assault and attempted assault.
His regular, frequent erratic behavior (he’s also been hauled in for publicly exposing and fondling himself and grabbing a woman’s rear) brought countless complaints to the police. But they did little except give him tickets and send him back out onto the streets.
For all the billions Mayor Bill de Blasio spends on the homeless and the mentally ill, including via his wife’s failed ThriveNYC program, people like Brimmage get ignored — until it’s too late. When will those funds be used to help the seriously mentally ill and protect New Yorkers?
Not to blame the mayor alone. City DAs too often opt not to prosecute. Judges refuse to detain defendants and impose light sentences on those convicted. And progressive state lawmakers won’t ensure mandatory treatment of the severely mentally ill. Instead, they make it ever-harder to lock up anyone, including hardened criminals.
This latest victim was lucky — unlike, say, the four homeless men allegedly bludgeoned to death last year by Randy Santos.
Public safety ought to be government’s top priority, but not in New York.
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