The New York Rangers fan arrested for sucker-punching a Tampa Bay Lightning fan at Madison Square Garden earlier this year plead guilty to a single charge of third-degree assault Wednesday in Manhattan.
James Anastasio, 29, of Staten Island, was arrested and booked for six charges after brutally sucker-punching a Tampa Bay Lightning fan following the Rangers’ 3-1 loss to the Lightning on June 9 in New York.
Fight at MSG #NYR #NoQuitInNY #Fights #TampaBay pic.twitter.com/xxL9oD1if1
— Scott Kaplan (@ScottKaplanOn) June 10, 2022
According to the NYPD, a Good Samaritan witnessed the incident and tried to stop the assailant, who then punched him in the face too.
Anastasia was sentenced to an anger management program with 200 hours of community service and a full order of protection to keep him away from the victim, said a spokesperson for the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
The NYPD officer who arrested the assailant is a big #Isles fan, I’m told. And made sure to tell him so as he cuffed him. https://t.co/gxQgOg1d70
— Arthur Staple (@StapeAthletic) June 10, 2022
Anastasia’s attorney, Jason Goldman said on Wednesday that, “this speedy resolution aligns with James’ desire to take responsibility. None of us should be judged by our worst 30 seconds, and he is grateful to learn from this experience without having to spend a single day in jail.”
Madison Square Garden banned Anastasio for life following his arrest.
By Jon Sorensen
Now THAT’S a “horrifying act of violence”
How do you not get jail time for that?
Have you not paid attention in the last decade to the world around you? Two girls stole an uber and killed the driver and didnt get a day in jail. NYC is lost
Wasn’t that DC? Or did NYC have one too?
Source?
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/teens-get-maximum-sentence-death-uber-eats-driver-n1273276
That’s a Flippin joke!!!! Should spend some time in jail, absolutely. Severe assault there.
Probably just another soft, liberal judge
I assume “liberal” is not a political reference, but judges stance on law. Politics have nothing to do with a judges personal stance. A Rangers fan, likely.
I guess if it was a Capitol Police officer defending our democracy, then you would be OK with the sucker punch and violence. Hypocrite. Your side is trash.
You Must be from Florida.
I can see dropping down to two charges, the sucker punch and the second punch on the Good Samaritan, but not down to one.
I’m ok with no jail IF neither victim suffered any permanent damage. He was identified in all the press, has been banned from MSG, will (I presume) forever have a police record. I’d rather see him do some meaningful (again another assumption) community service than just sit in jail.
If he is only doing community service its possible, if not likely, he got a diversion, which would probably mean he this will be sealed from his record.
Bummer
I tend, however, to agree with the jerk’s lawyer’s comment: None of us should be judged by our worst 30 seconds”. Here’s hoping that was the jerk’s worst 30 seconds.
There’s nothing wrong with forgiveness.
So murderers get a free ride? He could have killed that dude.
He didn’t get a free ride.
I am going to guess that this not his worse 30 seconds.
Lol. You are probably right. Worst 30 seconds caught on video, maybe.
He should have been thrown in jail for a couple of years and also home arrest for about a year and given 2000 hours of community service because that is NOT how you act at a hockey game. LET THE PLAYERS fight and fans just cheer. ITS called common courtesy By far!!!!