NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Martial Simon, the man charged with fatally shoving Michelle Go in front of a moving train at the Times Square subway station in January, has been sent to a psychiatric facility indefinitely after being deemed unfit for trial.
A spokesperson for the Manhattan District Attorney's Office told 1010 WINS that the 61-year-old who allegedly shoved Go at random in front of a southbound R train on Jan. 15 "was remanded to the custody of the Department of Mental Health and Hygiene until he is fit to stand."
Simon, who was charged with second-degree murder for Go's death, has reportedly been at Bellevue Hospital since his arrest.
His lawyer, H. Mitchell Schuman, told The New York Times that his client had been declared unfit last month by Bellevue psychiatrists.
Allegedly suffering from schizophrenia, Schuman said Simon "can have a superficial conversation," though he "can't assist in his defense." He estimated he had been hospitalized at least 20 times.
While Simon is in a psychiatric facility, his murder case will be put on hold. If psychiatrists find him fit for trial, the DA could reopen the case.
The Times reported that he'd likely be sent to Kirby Forensic Psychiatric Center on Wards Island or to Mid-Hudson Forensic Psychiatric Center in Orange County.
Go's death spiked ongoing fears about crime and, specifically, subway safety in the city.
In February, Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul reacted by unveiling a subway safety plan, and MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber told 1010 WINS the agency is looking at a "whole range of other technologies" to curb subway shoves and jumpers -- including installing platform doors at three subway stations in Manhattan and Queens.
Subway crime was up more than 70% year-to-date as of April 1, just ahead of last week's Brooklyn subway mass shooting.
