Bernhard Goetz

Thirty-five years ago today, December 22, 1984 (a Saturday), Bernhard Goetz, a white, male 37 year-old New Yorker, boarded a downtown number 2 subway train at the 14th Street station in Manhattan.  In the same car of the train and near where Goetz sat were four African-American male teenagers each of whom had a rap sheet (criminal record).

Shortly after Goetz entered the train, one of the teenagers, Troy Canty, asked him, "How are you doing?"  

Goetz responded, "Fine."  

Soon Canty and a second teenager, Barry Allen, got up from their seats and moved to block Goetz from the other passengers. 

Then Canty said, "Give me $5."  

Unbeknownst to both Canty and Allen, Bernhard Goetz (a victim of an assault in 1981) had on his person a 5-shot .38-caliber (unlicensed) revolver.  He pulled it out and fired multiple shots at the four teenagers (which also included Darrell Cabey and James Ramseur), wounding them all.

After telling the train conductor that "They tried to rob me," Bernhard Goetz fled the scene.  He went home, grabbed some things, rented a car and drove to New England where for eight days he stayed at a different motel, registered under a different name and paid with cash.  On December 30th, Goetz turned himself into the police in Concord, New Hampshire.

Bernhard Goetz stood trial in Manhattan (April-June, 1987) on charges of attempted murder, first degree assault and criminal possession of a weapon (carrying a loaded, unlicensed gun in a public place).  His lawyer (Barry Slotnick) argued that, "Goetz's actions fell within the New York State self-defense statute (a person may use deadly force if he reasonably believes another person is trying to rob him)."  

Bernhard Goetz was only convicted on the weapons charge and was sentenced to a year in jail.  He was released after eight months.

I along with the rest of New York was fixated with this event when it happened and during the subsequent criminal trial.  About twenty years ago, the case came back to my attention when I sat in on one of my daughter Rachel's classes at the University of Pennsylvania Law School.  I was a proud parent who listened attentively as her professor discussed the legal issues involved in the State of New York vs. Bernhard Goetz.