New Charges in MTA Assault Case
Last Update: 1/04/2008 2:12 pm
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New Charges
We have new information about a serious attack on an MTA bus. A judge announced new charges this morning against nine teenagers who face charges in connection with the assault.Destruction of property was added to the list of charges the teens face after an attack that happened December, 6th.The teens are accused of attacking a woman and her husband. Yesterday, charges against the woman were dropped. She had been accused of inciting the violence.A formal trial is scheduled to begin on January, 31st.
Assault Case
The case of a woman who police say was beaten by several teens on an MTA bus earlier this month has become one of the most talked-about stories of 2007. Now, one of the suspects says she is actually a victim.Police say on December 4th, nine middle school students on an MTA bus attacked 26-year-old Sarah Kreager. It happened in the area of 33rd Street and Chestnut Avenue in Hampden. Police say Kreager got on the bus shortly before 3:00 pm. By the time she got off, they say she had serious injuries including broken bones in her face.The attorney for one of the nine students now says Kreager provoked the incident. “My client was spit on, and then she was hit by Sarah Kreager,” said Kimberly M. Thomas, who is representing 15-year-old Nakita McDaniels. Thomas says McDaniels is a B-student at Robert Poole Middle School. “She defended herself,” Thomas said. “She was not the aggressor in the case."Since the incident, prosecutors have called Sarah Kreager an innocent victim. But a city court commissioner has ruled that Kreager will face a charge of second-degree assault."“We decline to comment because of the highly irregular manner in which this has been brought to our attention, as it falls outside the investigatory authorities, with a lengthy time lapse,” said Margaret Burns, a spokeswoman for Baltimore City State’s Attorney Patricia Jessamy.McDaniels’ attorney says the teen did give detectives her version of the story back on December 4th. “There are numerous juveniles that say that this is exactly what happened,” she said.Earlier this month, attorneys for two of the students held a news conference challenging Sarah Kreager's credibility. Nakita McDaniels has gone even further – charging Kreager with a crime. “There is another side to what happened, and it is my hope that the state's attorney's office will aggressively investigate now,” Thomas said.Last week prosecutors decided not to charge the nine students with hate crimes. They're still charged with aggravated assault and destruction of property. Their next court date is January 31st -- Sarah Kreager has a court appearance scheduled for that same date, on her assault charge.
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Copyright 2007 The E.W. Scripps Co. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
