STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The criminal trial of a man accused of assaulting several officers inside the Staten Island Courthouse was nearly derailed again Tuesday, when the defendant, who has elected to represent himself, further accused prosecutors of “numerous illegal acts.”
Darren Thomas, 54, is charged in state Supreme Court, St. George, with assaulting several officers over the course of two incidents in 2019, following a previous conviction for a 2017 melee at the courthouse.
With a slow, at times rambling and repetitive speech pattern, Thomas on Tuesday claimed assistant district attorneys fabricated an indictment against him and filed a “fake 730 [mental health] evaluation.” Upon the judge approving his request to see a “daily log” kept by the Department of Corrections, he suggested prosecutors were intentionally withholding the information.
“The people are lying,” Thomas said to Jeong. “You accept everything the people says as true.”
Jeong has stated he deems the claims as baseless, upon reviewing the evidence the defendant has provided and hearing statements from opposing sides. “Again, what did I tell you about making false accusations...” Jeong said.
“You can’t say they’re false accusations,” replied Thomas.
“Mr. Thomas, if you make another false accusation regarding the court I will relieve you of your duties of representing yourself.”
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