Violent career criminal back in jail after allegedly attacking multiple people and killing two in police-defunded NYC

Violent career criminal back in jail after allegedly attacking multiple people and killing two in police-defunded NYC

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NEW YORK, NY – A ex-convict has found himself behind bars again after allegedly going on a two-week violent streak. Not only is he accused of using a knife to stab and slash people supposedly at random, but he has also been accused of killing at least two people.

New York has been front and center when it comes to criminal justice reform, and while many claims that the loosening of bail and reducing crimes has done nothing but help the city, others claim that the moves have done nothing but make New York more violent.

And those that believe criminal justice reform has made things worse have yet another example to show as ‘proof’ of their theory in terms of the recent arrest of Roland Codrington.

Codrington, who had an active warrant for his arrest at the time of his alleged spree, was arrested just before Christmas after he was being sought for a violent string of attacks while using a knife in New York. Codrington’s alleged latest victim was a children’s doctor, Bruce Maurice Henry, whose body was discovered at Marcus Garvey Park.

Police allege Codrington was taken into custody on Christmas eve after officers with the 30th Precinct happened to see him while he was standing with four other people. When officers approached Codrington, he allegedly surrendered himself, telling officers:

“Let them [the others he was with] go. I’m the one you’re looking for.”

NYPD Chief of Patrol, John Chell, praised the officer’s efforts at locating and apprehending Codrington. Chief Chell said:

“Three sharp-eyed officers with the 30th Precinct made the apprehension…It was just a great plan on Christmas Eve, when everyone was out shopping, we were still working. Thank God we put this to bed.”

Police allege Codrington’s latest violent spree began on December 19th after the body of James Cunningham was found on Avenue A near East 13th Street just after midnight. As NYPD detectives worked the case, they learned that Cunningham had been at a bar that was nearby before his being killed.

Detectives learned that Cunningham had been with his girlfriend before getting into some type of verbal argument with a man outside of the bar. They allege several seconds into the argument, Codrington retrieve a knife and struck and sliced his neck, leaving a 10-inch wound, before walking away and leaving him for dead.

NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig reported that it did not appear that Codrington and Cunningham had any prior run-ins with each other, meaning that the attack may have just been random. Chief Essig said:

“And our perpetrator just takes out a knife and slashes across the neck [of the victim] and then leaves.”

Codrington allegedly did not remain civil for long and has been accused of getting into a fight with a female bartender at Teddy’s Bar on Second Avenue in Manhattan on the 22nd. When two other customers tried to intervene on behalf of the bartender, Codrington is accused of pulling a knife and stabbing them before leaving. Chief Esseg noted:

“When two customers intervened, they were both stabbed with a large knife that the male was carrying.”

After leaving the bar, now after midnight on the 23rd, Codrington allegedly went to Marcus Garvey Park where he encountered Dr. Henry and the two began to argue. During the argument, Codrington allegedly slit the 60-year-old doctor’s throat and then stabbed him to death.

Codrington, as the title ex-convict would imply, is no stranger to being on the wrong side of the law. According to Chief Essig, he has 12 prior arrests with many of them being of a violent nature. The Chief said:

“He has 12 prior arrests, including some vehicle-related arrests from 2022, assault with a weapon [in] 21. 2017, [Codrington was charged with] two assaults with a weapon, 2013, criminal possession of a knife, 2012, two times for assault. In 2009 and 2006, a knife robbery and a knife assault.”

According to the records obtained by the New York Post, Codrington has done at least three different sentences in prison. His most recent stint ended in April of 2021 when he was released after being convicted of a weapons charge.

Sadly, situations like these in which violent criminals are free to roam the streets and commit more crimes is nothing new, something which was noted by Zachary Faira who authored an opinion piece in the Washington Examiner. Faira wrote:

“In typical New York fashion, Codrington was somehow out on the streets, free to stab multiple people right before Christmas, because New York can’t be bothered to keep career criminals off the streets no matter how many times they show they are violent, unstable, and incapable of being reformed.

“This isn’t new. One criminal in New York City randomly punched a man and put him in a coma but was let out with no bail despite being a registered sex offender on lifetime parole for a sexual assault case. Another man had been arrested 41 times and had a history of unprovoked assaults but was out on the street, punching people in the face because he felt like it.”

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About The Author

I am a proud husband to a wife who works in education and the father to two wonderful children. My first focus is on my family and spending time with them, my second is on my career. I am a current law enforcement lieutenant and have been an officer for over twenty years. Chris Elliot is a pen name for safety reasons.

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