BRONX MAN CONVICTED OF ASSAULTING HOSTOS COMMUNITY
COLLEGE SECURITY OFFICER DURING STUDENT PROTEST

Bronx District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced today that a 35 year old Bronx man has been convicted of assaulting a security officer at Hostos Community College during a student protest in August, 2001.

Miguel Malo was convicted by a jury on one count of Assault in the 3rd degree and one count of Disorderly Conduct . Malo was President of the Student Senate when the incident occurred. He is facing a maximum sentence of up to one year in jail when he appears before Criminal Court Judge Catherine Bartlett on Wednesday, November 9, 2005 in Part 21. Malo had been released on his own recognizance while the case was pending, but after the guilty verdict was read, the judge set bail, pending sentencing, at $1000 bond or $500 cash.

The charges against Malo were filed following a student protest at the college on August 15, 2001 when Malo kicked a uniformed security officer at Hostos Community College in the groin while resisting arrest. He was found guilty of “recklessly causing physical injury to another person” and of “disturbing a lawful assembly or meeting without lawful authority” to do so. Malo had been part of a larger group of students who were distributing leaflets urging students not to register for classes in order to protest budget cuts affecting the school’s bilingual and Spanish programs. When Malo left an area that had been set aside for protesters and attempted to disrupt the registration process he was arrested after ignoring repeated warnings to leave.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Terri Gensler.