CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. — A Suffolk County man who provides housing for his daughter and granddaughter could remain behind bars following a domestic violence charge, despite having no prior criminal history and conflicting claims of self-defense in the alleged stabbing of his partner.
The 53-year-old man appeared before Judge John B. Zollo on Monday, facing a second-degree assault charge after allegedly stabbing his partner in the forearm with a kitchen knife during a June 22 altercation in East Patchogue.
Prosecutors said the injury—a 1.5-inch laceration—landed the complainant in the hospital, justifying what they called serious legal consequences.
His privately-appointed attorney, Danielle Marie Papa, entered a not guilty plea and argued the incident stemmed from an escalating dispute in which the accused was struck first, prompting a defensive reaction.
She said the complainant, who lives in a shelter, was visiting the shared home at the time, and warned that a full stay-away order would render the accused homeless and displace the dependents who rely on him for stable housing.
The prosecution pushed for $100,000 cash bail or a $200,000 bond and a six-month adjournment, emphasizing the severity of the injury.
Papa countered with a request for supervised release and a less restrictive “refrain-from” order of protection.
While the judge denied supervised release because of what he described as “the seriousness of the charge,” he agreed the proposed bail was excessive and ultimately lowered it to $10,000 cash or $30,000 bond.
He also granted the refrain-from order, allowing for contact that doesn’t involve threats or violence.
