WHITE PLAINS, NY (March 21, 2023) — Elijah Santiago pleaded guilty yesterday before Judge Thomas A. McCarty in Westchester County Criminal Court to charges stemming from a violent incident on April 27, 2022 involving three parking valets at the V.I.P. County Club in New Rochelle, NY.
As part of a negotiated plea agreement, Santiago pleaded guilty to 2 counts of Assault – 2 (Assault with Intent to Cause Physical Injury with a Weapon), D Felonies.
Santiago is scheduled for sentencing on Thursday June 22, 2023. The promised sentence is two years in state prison on each count to run concurrently, followed by three years of post-release supervision.
The negotiated plea was a capitulation by Santiago who said he acted in self-defense.
On December 15, Russell B. Smith, Santiago’s retained attorney told Judge McCarty that his client wanted to go to trial and plead self-defense. The ADA prosecuting the case offered to allow Santiago to plead down to two felonies (Assault – 1 for one victim who sustained serious bodily injuries and Assault – 2 for the other victim). Assault – 1 has a minimum sentence of 5 years. The offer is 5 years in state prison on Assault – 1 and 3.5 years on Assault – 2 to run concurrent.
Judge McCarty told Santiago in open court he thought the offer was “pretty good”.
Santiago wanted reductions to misdemeanors with no incarceration. Judge McCarty asked the ADA if the DA would ever offer misdemeanors or no incarceration. The answer to both questions was a flat “no”.
After a conference with both attorneys, Judge McCarty stated Santiago wanted to make a claim of self-defense, what he called an “all or nothing” defense. The case was adjourned to February 23, 2023 by which time either the case would be resolved by plea or sent to a judge to assign a trial date.
The Stabbing Incident
Police narrative: On April 27th, 2022 at about 11:00 pm, New Rochelle Police responded to the parking lot of 600 Davenport Avenue, the V.I.P. County Club, on a report of a stabbing. New Rochelle Police located two victims, one with a laceration to his back and the other who was stabbed in the abdomen. They were both transported to Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx for treatment. The stabbing victim was taken into surgery and is currently listed as being in critical condition. The victim who was slashed on the back was treated and released.
The suspect and the victims were all working as valets at the V.I.P Club and this incident stemmed from a dispute between the two victims and the suspect.
Santiago fled in his white Ford. New Rochelle Police located and arrested the suspect at the dead end of Davenport Avenue without further incident.
Appearing before Judge Jared R. Rice in New Rochelle City Court on April 28, 2022. Santiago was charged with 2 counts of Assault in the First Degree, a 1-B Felony, and Criminal Possession of a Weapon Fourth Degree, an A Misdemeanor. Judge Rice set bail at $25,000 cash, $100,000 bond and $150,000 partial bond. When bail was later reduced, Santiago posted bail and has been on release since.
Santiago was indicted by a Westchester County Grand Jury on July 12, 2022
Felony Complaint narrative:(Elijah Santiago) the defendant at the above date, time and place, did with intent to cause serious physical injury to another person, did cause such injury to such person by means of a deadly weapon or a dangerous instrument and did with intent to cause physical injury to another person, cause such injury to such person by means of a deadly weapon or a dangerous instrument when the defendant did take out a red folding knife, a dangerous instrument, and swing it at Semir Muratovic, slicing him along his lower abdomen, severing his external iliac artery, requiring him to be transported to Jacobi Medical Center for treatment where he was operated on and is scheduled for a second operation. The defendant did then swing the red folding knife, a dangerous instrument, at Almir Muratovic, stabbing him in the left upper back area causing a deep laceration that exposed bone requiring stitches. As a result of defendant’s conduct, both victims experienced substantial pain and severe physical injury.
In his deposition given to New Rochelle Police Detective Glen Spinner, Almir Muratovic said he was working last night as a valet at the VIP Country Club with his brother, Semir Muratovic and Elijah Santiago who he described as a co-worker “who I have known for quite a while”.
Almir Muratovic told Detective Spinner that it was a very busy day.
“We had an event. Everything was going well. All of a sudden, my brother goes to get a car. And while I’m in a car, all I saw was Elijah got out, jumped out of the car and my brother fell to the ground. I quickly ran to my brother. I saw him fall right back down as he just got up. I saw Elijah with a knife in his hand. My brother was on the ground, bleeding, with his own guts coming out of his stomach. I then approached Elijah face to face to defend me and my brother after being threatened.”
“After seeing what he had done to my brother, I then jumped on his car and kicked him. I fell over my ankle and quickly got up but before getting up, he tried to poke me with his knife again.”
“Elijah got in his white Ford and drove away,” said Almir Muratovic. “We call 911. Immediately after he had left. They came while me and my friend were holding my brother in our arms, attempting to stop his guts from coming out and bleeding. Ambulance had arrived. And he asked me what happened. Who Elijah was. They asked me if I got hurt. Then I checked my shoulder and there was a deep hole because the knife he had stabbed me with.” “My shoulder has a hole through I don’t know how much damage was done but I am in a lot of pain after being stabbed in the left shoulder”.
RELATED:
New Rochelle Judge Reduces Bail in VIP Country Club Stabbing; Self-Defense Argument Emerges
Man Arrested in VIP Country Club Stabbing Arraigned in New Rochelle City Court
Two People Stabbed at VIP Country Club in New Rochelle, One Victim Critical, Arrest Made
