The gunman accused of killing a straphanger on a Bronx subway train “admitted to shooting” the victim, prosecutors said, but his lawyer argued he acted in self-defense.
Justin Helde, 24, rocked back and forth during Tuesday’s arraignment, during which prosecutors said William was on a southbound D train entering the 182-183 Street Station Friday morning.・Revealed that he was the “actual shooter” in Alvarez’s murder.
“He was the one who pulled the trigger,” Assistant District Attorney Lawrence Rosenblum said in court.
“In his statement, he admitted to shooting the victim, which was all captured on surveillance video,” Rosenblum said.
Police said Helde and two of his alleged accomplices, Betty Cotto, 38, and Alfredo Trinidad, 42, were on a train when one of them, Alvarez, An argument started, which quickly escalated into a physical altercation.
Police said all three men were involved in a scuffle with Alvarez, and as the train entered the station, Helde fired a gun, striking the strap hanger at least once in the torso, before the trio fled. .
Alvarez was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The three suspects were each charged by police with murder, manslaughter and possession of a weapon.
Defense lawyer Peter Lohmann criticized the prosecution’s explanation as “pretty short” and instead argued that Helde acted in self-defense.
“It was not a one-sided altercation. During the assault, Mr. Helde was pulled into the train on a tip with someone significantly larger than Mr. Helde,” Roman said at his arraignment.
The attorney also said Cotto and Trinidad were not on the train when the shooting occurred.
“That means there were three claims to one story that may not actually be supported by the evidence, even if the evidence was provided,” Roman said.
Laumann asked for a reasonable bail, but the judge chose to remand Helde, saying the charges posed a flight risk and “this is not Helde’s first exposure to the justice system.”
Cotto and Trinidad, the alleged accomplices, were also remanded during Tuesday’s court appearance after prosecutors argued that Trinidad was the owner of the weapon.
Ronzenblum said Trinidad, who was wearing a tattered red sweatsuit, said nothing during the brief arraignment, but told Justin Harde to carry a gun when he went out because he didn’t want to get caught with a gun. He said he gave it to him.
Helde also “admitted to keeping the gun for his co-defendant Trinidad,” Ronzenblum said.
The gun was reportedly discovered during a Monday raid by police and federal marshals inside the Bronx apartment Trinidad shares with Cotto.
Helde was not arrested along with the two men during the raid. He was found handcuffed in the home he shared with his aunt and mother.
His elderly mother declined to comment to reporters outside the courtroom.
Cotto has not been charged with handling a firearm, but prosecutors said she was “seen fighting with the victim” and “assisted her co-defendant during the shooting.”
Trinidad’s next court appearance is Feb. 29, and both Erde and Cotto are scheduled to return March 1.
