Man charged in hate crime assault on Asian woman in New York City pleads not guilty, held on $1 million bond

A man charged in a hate crime assault on an Asian woman in New York City in March pleaded not guilty and is being held on a $1 million bond, according to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.

Brandon Elliot, 38, was arraigned virtually on Monday in the state Supreme Court, according to Manhattan DA spokeswoman Naomi Puzzelo.

“Judge Maxwell Wiley set bail in the amount of $500,000 cash, or $1 million Insurance Company Bond, or $1 million Bond-Surety-Partially Secured,” said Puzzelo.

Elliot is accused of punching and kicking a 65-year-old Asian woman in Midtown Manhattan on March 29. The brazen attack was captured on video and released by authorities.

The video, which seems to be from the vantage point of a camera inside the apartment complex on 360 West 43rd St., appears to show onlookers not reacting to the attack as the woman is kicked repeatedly in broad daylight.

Elliot approached the woman and yelled, “F**k you, you don’t belong here, you Asian” before knocking her to the ground and striking her several times, according to the criminal complaint.

The woman is of Filipino descent, the complaint states. She was treated at a New York City Hospital where she suffered from a fracture to her pelvis, forehead contusions and contusion to her body, according to the complaint.

The incident comes at a time when New York and cities across the US have seen an increase in reports of attacks against Asian people.

Elliot served 17 years in state prison for stabbing his mother to death, the NYPD told CNN. He was released on lifetime parole in November 2019.

The Legal Aid Society, which represents Elliot, confirmed his plea but would not provide further comment.

The next court date is set for July 14, where decisions on motions will be made, added Puzzelo.