A 46-year-old Bronx man was indicted on hate crime charges in connection with a subway slashing last month, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said Monday.
Milton Hamlin was accused of making homophobic remarks and cutting a 27-year-old gay man who was riding the subway in Midtown on March 1, authorities said. Hamlin was charged with multiple felony counts including assault as a hate crime in New York State Supreme Court, prosecutors said.
“As alleged, Milton Hamlin viciously and without provocation, spewed derogatory remarks before attacking a man because of his sexual orientation,” Bragg said in a statement. “Subway riders deserve to be safe while using our transit system, and we do not tolerate attacks rooted in discrimination. My office will work to pursue full accountability in this case and I wish the victim a speedy recovery.”
The incident happened aboard a northbound A train at 11 p.m., according to court documents. Hamlin was sitting near the victim and the victim’s husband, who were chatting about a drag show they had attended earlier that night.
Hamlin berated them, calling them homophobic slurs, authorities said. He then pulled out a sharp object and swung it toward the victim’s head, slashing the victim’s neck and hand, which he was using to cover himself, the district attorney’s office said. The cut to the victim’s hand required four stitches to close, prosecutors said.
Hamlin was arrested a few days later.
He pleaded not guilty, prosecutors said, and his next court date was set for June 24. His lawyer did not immediately return a request for comment.
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