Hot! Morgan Stanleys Jennings Pleads Not Guilty In N - Cab Drivers Stab - Businessweek

William Bryan Jennings, that Morgan Stanley (MS) U.S. bond-underwriting main charged regarding stabbing a New York pickup's cab airport taxi driver more than a fare, pleaded not guilty to strike in addition to hate-crime charges depending on the actual man azines Middle Eastern descent.

Jennings s lawyer, Eugene J. Riccio, entered the plea on his client s benefit yesterday before Connecticut Superior Court Judge Robert L. Genuario within Stamford. Jennings used some sort of orange suit, white wine tank top and patterned tie to the particular proceeding, which in turn survived only a minute. He as well as Riccio remaining the actual courthouse not having speaking to be able to reporters as well as drove away in a passenger truck truck. His following judge date is actually April 12.

Jennings, 45, is actually accused with attacking the driver, Mohamed Ammar, on Dec. 22 that has a couple of 1/2-inch edge and implementing racial slurs once your 40-mile ride from New York into the banker s Darien, Connecticut, home. The hate-crime count gives exactly the same five- season optimum prison phrase as the attack charge.

Jennings, exactly who possessed attended a lender getaway blowout with a shop hotel in Manhattan prior to hailing that cab, rejected to pay for your $204 fare after ending up inside his driveway, the driving force said. Jennings said he / she would not experience including compensating because this individual seemed to be undoubtedly home, Ammar, 44, told police. The banker offered to pay $50, your dog said. Jennings told police Ammar ordered to provide $294 and also he agreed to spend $160.

Call to help 911

Ammar, some sort of native associated with Egypt, explained in which following a banker turned down for you to pay, he guaranteed outside the front yard on the $3.4 million residence to get your law enforcement officer. Ammar stated this individual had tried using to call 911 nonetheless ended up being hampered by means of weak portable wedding reception from the well-to-do Fairfield County suburb.

The banker labeled him or her an expletive and said, I m planning to get rid of you. You should settle for your current country, matching to the criminal court report. A fight ensued while they drove through Darien, as well as Jennings presumably cut Ammar, criminal court said.

Jennings explained the particular airport taxi driver slice their fretting hand looking to seize your knife from him, which often your dog stated he wielded due to the fact your dog anticipated they has been being abducted, quite possibly back again towards the city. Ammar waived he or she tested out to adopt Jennings back to New York.

The banker, who ultimately fled the pickup truck's cab in addition to flipped herself within two months later on soon after your vacation throughout Florida, was costed along with second-degree assault, theft of expertise plus intimidation by way of error and also bigotry. Freed with $9,500 bond, this individual looks as longer since 10 years and 90 days inside prison. He was costed Feb. 29.

Pen Pendleton, a spokesman intended for New York-based Morgan Stanley , said March 2 that Jennings has become put on leave.

Rate Book

Ammar informed criminal court which ahead of they left to get Connecticut, he or she showed Jennings the particular New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission s rate book record the fare at $204. Jennings said these people didn capital t discuss the ticket plus he or she assumed the cost could be $125 to help $150, and that is precisely what Morgan Stanley vertisements motor vehicle service charged, as outlined by police. He experienced under no circumstances taken a yellow-colored cab residence before, this individual said.

Jennings flagged Ammar down facing Ink48, a new lodge on Manhattan azines West Side, sometime before 11 p.m. following the bank reported his automobile program didn t appear, as outlined by that report.

The banker came out drunk, the driving force said, reported by judge documents. Jennings said he sipped two or about three Coors Lights in the charitable organisation occasion he hosted prior to bash and many more beers with the particular celebration itself, according to be able to his or her law enforcement statement. He told police your dog wasn big t really intoxicated, based on the particular police report.

Jennings chop down asleep throughout the trip, the driving force said. Jennings under no circumstances gave him his or her handle along with alternatively this airport taxi driver woke your ex boyfriend upwards when they neared the house.

Passenger Flees

After Jennings turned down to cover as well as Ammar drove off along with his passenger still in the car, Jennings pulled that chef's knife and begun stabbing the pup from the wide open partition which broken down the front and also rear from the cab, Ammar said. Ammar said they tested out that will preserve herself by making use of his right fretting hand to prevent the particular opening, and then ripped in two around as well as dialed 911 again, when Jennings became available as well as fled, criminal court said.

Jennings stated he by no means stabbed Ammar, as outlined by their criminal arrest statement. He showed the driving force he had a new dagger once they torn in two away from his / her home as well as Ammar lower themself inside trying to take hold of the item away, he / she explained to police.

Jennings for no reason endangered for you to kill Ammar as well as explained to your ex boyfriend to search again in order to his or her country, according to the particular bank s criminal arrest statement.

The Connecticut hate-crime statute, authorized into law throughout 2000, can make it some sort of felony to help cause or even threaten bodily harm to an individual or to building which includes a distinct intent in order to intimidate or maybe harass people because of the exact as well as identified race, religion, ethnicity, disability, erectile orientation or perhaps sexuality individuality or time period of these additional person.

In Connecticut, there were 243 arrests and also 33 convictions less than the statute through 2007 to 2011, in line with Rhonda Stearley-Hebert, your spokeswoman for the State Judicial Branch office. Under the law, Ammar will in addition have the ability to prosecute Jennings pertaining to damages.

The instance is State involving Connecticut v. Jennings 12-0176761, Superior Court with the State of Connecticut (Stamford).

To get in touch with that reporters on this story: Thom Weidlich with Brooklyn, New York, national court docket at tweidlich@bloomberg.net; John Dillon with Connecticut Superior Court in Stamford at jdillon@snet.net.

To contact the manager the cause of this kind of story: Michael Hytha at mhytha@bloomberg.net.