District Attorney Hoovler Details Guilty Plea
in Case of Stabbing on a Commercial Bus
Defendant Pled Guilty to Attempted Assault in the First Degree
Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that on Tuesday, January 3, 2023, Maleek Phillips, 38, of Albany, pled guilty in Orange County Court to Attempted Assault in the First Degree. Under the plea agreement announced on the record at the time that Phillips pled guilty, it is expected that Phillips be ordered to serve ten (10) years in state prison and five (5) years of post-release supervision when he is sentenced on February 21, 2023.
As admitted during the plea allocution and in charging documents filed in court, on August 26, 2022, Phillips was a passenger on a commercial bus traveling from Albany to New York City. When the bus traveled through the Town of Newburgh on Interstate 87, Phillips began threatening passengers on the bus. After arguing with the victim of his crimes, Phillips pulled out a knife and cut the victim on the neck and chest, causing a collapsed lung. Phillips then fled the bus and cut his own throat before he was located nearby by police with the knife still in his hand.
District Attorney Hoovler thanked the New York State Police and the Town of Newburgh Police Department for their investigation and arrest of Harris.
“No one expects a peaceful bus trip to turn into the violent nightmare this defendant created,” said District Attorney David M. Hoovler. “Miraculously, the victim in this case survived the serious injuries caused by the defendant. However, violence like this will not be tolerated and my Office will continue to dedicate all available resources to holding violent offenders accountable for their actions. I commend the actions of those on the bus that day, as well as the police for taking the defendant into custody without issue.”
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Nicholas Mangold.
This criminal charge is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a violation of the criminal law, and it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the State of New York’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.