A Queens man, who spent five months at Rikers Island, is suing the City and his Legal Aid lawyers for failing to notify him during that time that his bail was only $1.00.
Aitabdel Salem, 42, was arrested on Nov. 21, 2014, on charges he attacked an NYPD officer trying to collar him after he allegedly stole a coat at a Zara store in the Flatiron district, according to court documents.
His bail was initially set at $25,000 in that case and in a second case the next day.
On Nov. 26, his return court date, he was never produced in court, and a judge dropped the bail in one of those cases to a buck.
Two days later, he was again not produced in court. A judge ordered him released on his own recognizance in the second case because prosecutors hadn’t convened a grand jury within 144 hours, as is required by law if a felony suspect is held on bail, according to the lawsuit.
Salem had another court date on Feb. 11, and again, he wasn’t produced before a judge, the lawsuit claimed.
At each court date after his arraignment, his lawyer waived his appearance and allowed the proceeding to go on without him, the lawsuit alleges.
The prison chaplain ultimately paid his bail on April 15, 2015.
Salem’s freedom would ultimately be short lived as he was convicted in August on felony assault and criminal tampering charges. He is serving four and a third to five years in state prison.
