Teen Charged with Attempted Murder

Truman HS Student Dragged Child by Legs up Flight of Stairs, Threw him Off the Roof

BRONX, NEW YORK, February 7- District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced that a 17-year-old teenager has been indicted on charges of attempted murder and other offenses for allegedly throwing a 9-year-old boy from the roof of an apartment building.

The grand jury charged Casmine Aska, of Nelson Avenue, the Bronx, with one count of Attempted murder in the second degree, one count of assault in the first degree and one count of assault the second degree in connection with the alleged attack against Freddy Martin. Aska is facing up to 25 years imprisonment if convicted of the top charge attempted murder in the second degree.

The charges in the indictment are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Aska is being held without bail and is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment in State Supreme Court, Part 92 on March 6, 2013 before Supreme Court Justice Troy Webber.
The incident occurred on Friday, February 1, 2013 at 1545 Nelson Avenue in the Morris Heights section of the Bronx. According to court papers, Aska grabbed the young child by the legs and dragged him up a flight of stairs to the roof, picked him up and threw him from the roof. The victim remains on life support in a medically induced coma at New York-Presbyterian Hospital where he is being treated for numerous broken bones and severe internal bleeding.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Paul Rosenfeld of the Trial Division.