[Jefferson Siegel/NY Daily News]
The family of Ruan Wen Hui, who died after a vicious attack on East Sixth Street Friday evening, want his killing treated as a hate crime, the Daily News reports today.
Police arrested 20-year-old Jamie Pugh early Tuesday morning. He has been charged with second-degree murder, robbery and assault.
If Pugh's murder charges were to be elevated to a hate crime, then he would face a possible sentence of life in prison without parole, the Daily News reports.
One of Hui's daughters told reporters: "We want the suspect to have the proper kind of penalty so that we feel safe to walk on the street. We demand a life [sentence]."
Before Pugh's court arraignment yesterday, his mother, Charlotte Pugh-Douglas, told reporters that someone slipped the club-drug Molly into his drink last Friday evening while partying. "He wasn't in his right state of mind," she reportedly said.
Per the Post:
But Pugh's own defense lawyer, Frank Rothman, said the distraught mom did not have firsthand knowledge of her son's sobriety, or lack thereof, during the brutal attack. "She's speaking as a panicked mother who’s saying that if this [charge] is in fact true, then someone must have drugged him, because that's not who her son is," Rothman said.
Judge Bruna DiBiase ordered Pugh held without bail
Hui, a retired garment worker who lived on Avenue C and East Seventh Street with his wife, died from his injuries Saturday night.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: East Village resident dies from injuries sustained in brutal attack (25 comments)
[UPDATED] Reward for info on East 6th Street assault; plus video of the attack (34 comments)
[Updated] Family mourns Ruan Wen Hui as police hunt suspect in deadly assault on E. 6th St.
[Updated] Report: Murder suspect's mother says her son was high on Molly at the time of attack
such a sad story- but this guy - if guilty- needs to get life without parole- the sad reality is this type of senseless street crime is the aspect of 'old school' nyc/ev that seems to never get brought up here- funny how the old time residents mention it in just about every interview posted here-id be more concerned about this than about some bookstore or shoemaker who got a super cheap lease in 1992 and now the rent has gone up- the business in some cases isn't really needed anymore- and they never thought about buying a building when they possibly could-
ReplyDeleteI remember what nyc/ev was like in the 70's/80s- I remember why folks moved out if they could-
This looks like more and more like it was a hate crime and less like a simple robbery. Jamie Pig (sic) did not steal anything, he just went ballistic, and the result was the death of an innocent man. He lost what little mind the Lord had given him.
ReplyDeleteMaybe because Mr Hui did not understand English Mr. Pig felt like this elderly Asian man had dissed him, and had blown him off, so he was killed just for not understanding what the maniac wanted.
According to the cops Pig was heard saying "This is my block!" right after the attack, even though Mr. Hui lived right around the corner. Since when do Asians not "belong" in the East Village? That reeks of hate crime to me.
Big Bad Mr. Puig is 6 feet tall and 173 lbs. and Mr. Hui probably weighed less than 100 lbs. and was about a foot shorter. Like most cowards Pig knew he had the advantage and struck with amazing, brutal force which he should have known could be lethal.
And what's up with that dyed-brown hair? That fashion faux-pas alone should get him an extra 10 years on top of the life sentence he so richly deserves.
What jury will want to ever see this guy walking ever again a dark New York street? Answer: none.
The good news is that Mr. Pig is now on Riker's Island, and his new zip code 11370 and not 10009.
Mr. Pig's next court date is tomorrow, lets see what kind of nonsense the defense puts on. But it will not matter. This Pig is about to be turned into bacon.
Inmate Details
Incarceration 14-MAY-2014
PUGH, JAMIE
NYSID: 12498916L
Year of Birth: 1994
Sex: Male
Race: Black
Height: 6 ft
Weight: 173 lbs
Hair Color: Dyed
Eye Color: Brown
Nativity: New York
Book & Case Number: 3491406817
Current Housing Facility: RNDC (Robert N. Davoren Center)
Arrest Date: 13-MAY-2014
Arrest Number: M14642529Z
Next Court Date: 16-MAY-2014
Bail Status: remanded
Manhattan Crim. Ct. 125.25 FA (MURDER A Felony)
Murder in the second degree is an A felony, A felonies are the highest level of crime chargeable in NY state. The mandatory minimum sentence would be 15 to life and the maximum 25 to life.
140.15 MA (CRIMINAL TRESPASS-1ST A Misdemeanor)
At a minimum, Mr Pig is guilty of trespassing on Planet Earth.
Awww wil baby is crying in court.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the rest of your life in prison, racist coward.
D
This perp will be living on a new block soon and for a very long time.
ReplyDeleteWatching all you white folk pile on this unfortunate confused child because of the color of his skin is just sickening.
ReplyDelete@ 7:29 PM just said this guy is who he is because of "the color of his skin", not because of the content of his character.
ReplyDeleteQuite clear who the racist here is.
@ 7:29 PM Nice try playing the race card but that trick wont work this time. What color was Mr. Hui's skin? That's right, he wasn't white either.
ReplyDeleteHow you can tell what the ethnicity of anyone is based solely on what they type on a website's comment section must be a very special talent indeed, I'm sure the NSA has a high-paying job waiting just for you.
While it may be true that Anon 7:29 can't tell if those who have poured vile, hateful shit all over these posts are white or not, s/he is absolutely right that watching EV Grieve's blog get polluted by these comments is sickening.
ReplyDeleteThe situation is horrible enough; gleefully describing how Pugh should be punished and/or killed does not improve matters, or help anyone deal with this in any way. There's a difference between catharsis and getting off on someone else's misery -- quite a few commenters have crossed that line.
I just hate this whole story so much. Really just didn't have to happen. Lock that scumbag up for life.
ReplyDelete@ 10:06 PM The point is that that "line" concerns race only in anon7:29s (racist) mind.
ReplyDeleteMe? I'm ALWAYS happy when a douchebag get what's coming to them. Too often, that doesn't happen.
End of story.
Wishing someone harm who themselves has done grieveous harm to someone innocent is not vile - it's human nature.
ReplyDelete"it's human nature" -- but that doesn't make it any less ugly. Better words than mine have been written about revenge and vengence, but none in support. I'm not against punishment, but soooo many comments on this topic have saddened me greatly.
ReplyDeleteAnd since when did racism require a white person? An hispanic could talk smack about a black who beat an asian, and it could still be racist. Doesn't have to be, but no one is automatically not racist because of their own skin color.
"the sad reality is this type of senseless street crime is the aspect of 'old school' nyc/ev that seems to never get brought up here- "
ReplyDeleteYou obviously don't know what you are talking about- this is just a random attack time has no reference to time.
You are probably new to NYC so keep your ignorance to yourself.
What is a "hate crime" is and why should be treated any differently from any other murder? If you kill someone you like, or are just ambivalent towards, that is somehow a lesser crime?
ReplyDelete"Life sentence" is too lenient; as well all know, those with life sentences are often back out on the street to do more harm.
- East Villager
Now he is an "unfortunate confused child"?
ReplyDeleteI've heard it all.
Don't feed the trolls (11:25) Jill. But you're right.
ReplyDeleteD
What's even more sickening is how anyone can have the tenacity to describe the killer as an "unfortunate confused child". The person who made that comment is in desperate need of help.
ReplyDeleteTo anon may 16 1045am - as a 44yo native I think I know a little about my hometown and will comment as I please- my point was that these type of crimes used.to be daily occurrences and are not random - sadly getting mugged used to be a rite of passage around here - I dont know where you are from but I'd appreciate you being less assuming and perhaps more on topic - no need to tell me not to post
ReplyDelete" I dont know where you are from but I'd appreciate you being less assuming and perhaps more on topic"
ReplyDeleteI'm from here as well and I guess you must be a easy target for muggers! never been mugged in NYC I grew up in the bronx and lived in brooklyn as well. Sorry if you were a victim many times :( but this was not a mugging.
it was just a brutal attack to hurt and kill someone.
just wondering if this area is getting more dangerous - or is this a horrible one time random type of thing? are robberies going up with all these rich folks moving in?
ReplyDeleteCrime is down (particularly since gentrification has started in earnest). Because these type of crimes are now less common, the ones that do occur are more highly publicized.
Delete