A woman who pushed an Indian immigrant in front of an approaching train in the New York subway system and caused his instant death in December 2012 has pleaded guilty. In what was a hate crime that shocked the Indian-American community, 33-year-old Erika Menendez of Queens said she “pushed a Muslim” onto the subway track. Her victim was not a Muslim, but a Hindu — Sunando Sen, 46, co-owner of a small printing and copying business.
But Menendez told the police after her arrest that she hated both Hindus and Muslims ever since the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York. By pleading guilty to first-degree manslaughter, Menendez faces 22 to 25 years in prison when she is sentenced on April 29. Originally charged with second-degree murder, she could have faced life imprisonment if she had been convicted of murder. Menendez admitted committing “what is every subway commuter’s worst nightmare – being suddenly and senselessly pushed into the path of an oncoming train”, said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown, noting Sen, having been pushed from behind, had no chance of defending himself.
The District Attorney’s office decided to accept Menendez’s plea as she promised not to appeal and because of her “substantial psychiatric history and serious drug problem”, said spokeswoman Meris Campbell, adding: “We are assured she’ll serve a substantial amount of time behind bars.” The horrific incident happened on the night of December 27, 2012 at the 40 Street-lowery Street station in Sunnyside, Queens. Once shoved from behind, Sen was run over by the train.