Mayor Endorses Senator Golden’s Efforts To Stiffen Penalties For Crimes Against The Elderly In New York

City Hall- 101-year old Rose Morat and 85-year-old Solange Elizee, both victims of brutal beatings, this past Friday, met Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly, Aging Commissioner Edwin-Mendez Santiago, and Senate Aging Committee Chairman Senator Marty Golden to discuss legislative efforts to combat elder abuse at City Hall. At the meeting, Mayor Michael Bloomberg pledged his support for this bill to become law.

The attacks on Rose Morat and Solange Elizee inspired Senator Marty Golden and his colleagues to introduce this bill that would increase penalties on those who prey on New York’s elderly. Although the Senate passed the bill unanimously in March, the Assembly has yet to take action on it.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg supports the legislation and believes that the State has a moral obligation to protect its mature citizens. The Mayor believes that this legislation will give law enforcement the tools it needs to prosecture predators who target New York’s elderly and would serve as a powerful deterrnet against future attacks.

Senator Marty Golden stated, "I thank Mayor Bloomberg for his support of this very critical piece of legislation that I have introduced to protect the elderly of New York against crimes. It absolutely sickens me to know that a criminal would target a senior citizen to commit such a violent attack."

Senator Golden continued, "In recognition of these horrific attacks on two elderly residents of New York City, I knew that it was time to take immediate action to protect our senior citizens. Senior citizens should be able to feel safe on their streets and in their own neighborhoods. Criminals, cowards to be more exact, need to know that if they target and assault a senior citizen, they will go to jail for a long, long time. Having these menaces to society roaming our streets endangers the quality of life of all New Yorkers."