Gov. Cuomo signs law that cracks down on subway grinders
BY GLENN BLAIN
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Saturday, September 26, 2015, 11:18 AM
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MARCUS SANTOSThe law, signed Friday night by Gov. Cuomo, pictured, lets prosecutors charge grinders with misdemeanor forcible touching when they subject another person "to sexual contact for the purpose of gratifying the actor's sexual desire and with the intent to degrade or abuse."
ALBANY — Subway grinders could face up to a year behind bars under legislation signed late Friday night by Gov. Cuomo.
The newly signed law gives prosecutors the ability to charge grinders with misdemeanor forcible touching when they subject another person "to sexual contact for the purpose of gratifying the actor's sexual desire and with the intent to degrade or abuse" while on a bus, train or subway.
"New York has zero tolerance for predators who seek to use crowded buses, subways and trains to commit depraved crimes of opportunity," Cuomo said. "Those who commit these despicable acts will be caught and, with this new law, will face very real consequences."
Supporters of the new law say it is intended to close a loophole in state criminal law that was created by a 2012 ruling by the state's highest court that subway grinding could not be considered a violent crime. The ruling, lawmakers said, allowed many subway perverts to escape serious penalties.
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"New York has zero tolerance for predators who seek to use crowded buses, subways and trains to commit depraved crimes of opportunity," Cuomo said.
The new law was sponsored by Brooklyn Sen. Martin Golden, a Republican, and Queens Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas, a Democrat.
It was adopted by the Legislature in June after the Democrat-controlled state Assembly balked at a stronger Senate bill — sponsored by Staten Island Sen. Diane Savino, a Democrat — that would have made subway grinding a felony.
"Creating another misdemeanor does not change the fact we have serious sexual predators on subways," Savino told the Daily News. "We should stop coddling sex offenders and make it a felony."
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Jared . . .
I am curious...if a person has a belief that "Grinding" against someone, someone who is a complete stranger, is providing that person (the recipient) a gratifying sexual encounter is obviously delusional, and how the person doing the grinding can enjoy himself/herself sufficiently to get to....well,...you know that place where there is music, fireworks, floating clouds, and such...I can't see how a person could enjoy doing that to someone in public. So, that is why I must ask...why put them in jail? Will the "Grinder" benefit? Will the victim benefit? WIll the public benefit? Here's how I see it: The "Grinder" has a real problem, something sexually wrong in that department, the time will be done, and the grinder back out on the street. Jail cannot help the victim, unless they want a bit of vengeance...no I want JUSTICE. The public won't benefit...they just pay the cost of the jail time. If you do not take care of those with mental health issues today, you will be dealing with their crimes tomorrow...and much longer.
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