Michelle Go, a Chinese woman, died after being pushed onto the subway tracks by a homeless man named Martial Simon. The case was brought to the Manhattan Supreme Court once again on April 30. Prosecutors stated that the suspect Simon had passed a mental health evaluation and was deemed fit for trial. However, his defense attorney argued otherwise, stating that Simon was not ready for trial. Simon, in an outburst during the court session, was ordered by the judge to undergo further examination by experts before the next court appearance.
Assistant District Attorney Constantine Coritsidis informed the court that 63-year-old Simon had successfully completed a mental health evaluation. He was transferred from the Kirby Forensic Psychiatric Center on Wards Island to Rikers Island Correctional Facility on April 17. Coritsidis mentioned that Simon’s current mental state was stable and suitable for trial. Despite this, Simon failed to remain calm during the court proceedings. He first attempted to address Judge Althea Drysdale and later raised his voice, leading court officers to remove him from the courtroom.
Mitchell Schuman, Simon’s defense attorney, referenced a report from the Kirby Forensic Psychiatric Center staff on March 27, indicating that Simon still suffered from delusions. Simon believed he possessed supernatural abilities and thought that aliens would come to “save” him. Schuman argued that based on this incomplete information, the prosecution prematurely claimed Simon was mentally fit. Records from Rikers Island Correctional Facility over the past week showed that Simon still exhibited “severe delusions” and “specific paranoia.” Schuman informed the judge that Simon had cognitive impairments related to his case and was not suitable for trial. As a result, the defense requested the court to allow them to arrange a separate mental evaluation for Simon. The judge ordered the defense to conduct the evaluation before the next court appearance on May 27.
Michelle Go was a graduate of New York University’s Stern School of Business, holding a master’s degree in Business Administration. She worked as a manager at Deloitte, one of the world’s top four accounting firms. Tragically, on January 15, 2022, at the Times Square subway station, she was pushed onto the tracks by Simon and lost her life at the age of 40.