Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. today announced the sentencing of CHRISTIAN JEFFERS, 49, for attacking and threatening an Asian couple with a hammer at a subway station on 14th Street and Seventh Avenue, and for hurling race-based threats at a Hispanic police officer. JEFFERS is sentenced to 12 years in state prison. A New York State Supreme Court jury found JEFFERS guilty of Attempted Assault in the First Degree, Assault in the Second Degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, Menacing in the Second Degree, and Aggravated Harassment in the Second Degree, a misdemeanor hate crime.

“A jury held Christian Jeffers accountable for this intentional assault in our subway system. This conviction sends a strong message that we will thoroughly investigate and prosecute those who target other New Yorkers with this type of violence,” said District Attorney Bragg. “I thank our prosecutors for their work achieving this outcome and to the victims who testified and bravely shared their stories in court.”

As proven at trial, JEFFERS attacked an Asian man as he and his wife were on their way home after a dinner date in Manhattan at around 9 p.m. on March 8, 2022.  The victim and his wife saw JEFFERS aggressively bump into a white man then aggressively confront the person they bumped into. However, JEFFERS just walked away after that confrontation.

As the victim made his way toward the turnstile, JEFFERS lightly brushed past him. JEFFERS immediately got in his face, asking the Asian male victim, “Don’t you have eyes, can’t you see?” and stomped on the victim’s foot. The victim then tried to push JEFFERS away, after which JEFFERS struck the victim in the left temple with a hammer, inflicting a bleeding wound to the head.  JEFFERS then menaced the victim’s wife, an Asian woman, with the same hammer.

Upon their arrest the following day, JEFFERS repeatedly threatened a Hispanic officer while hurling anti-Hispanic slurs at her. 

Assistant D.A.s Patrick Nelligan and Edward Smith handled the case under the supervision of Assistant D.A.s Constantine Coritsidis (Deputy Chief of the Hate Crimes Unit), Hannah Yu (Chief of the Hate Crimes Unit), and Executive Assistant D.A. Lisa DelPizzo (Chief of the Trial Division). Senior Hate Crimes Investigative Analyst Caitie Kang and Trial Preparation Assistant Alison Allen assisted with the prosecution.
 
D.A. Bragg thanked members of the NYPD, including Transit District No. 4 and the Hate Crimes Task Force, for their assistance with the investigation.

Defendant Information:
CHRISTIAN JEFFERS
New York, New York

Convicted:

• Attempted Assault in the First Degree, a class C violent felony, one count
• Assault in the Second Degree, a class D violent felony, one count
• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, a class D felony, one count
• Menacing in the Second Degree, a class A misdemeanor, one count
• Aggravated Harassment in the Second Degree, a class A misdemeanor hate crime, one count

Sentenced:

• 12 years in state prison, 5 years post-release supervision

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