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Poster Boy: Victim Of Vindictiveness?
By
Jen Carlson
Published May 11, 2010
Modified May 11, 2010
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By
Jen Carlson
Published May 11, 2010
Modified May 11, 2010
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Yesterday word got out that Poster Boy, 28-year-old Henry Matyjewicz, was tossed in the slammer on Friday after missing his court appearance last week. The street artist claims to have had the date wrong, and showed up one day late apologizing.
Justice Michael Gary didn't show any sympathy, however. To recap, last year Matyjewicz negotiated a probation deal with the DA, which evaporated when he was arrested again—however, Gary neglected to warn him that the deal would be off if he got cuffed again, so he went free. The Post is now calling the judge vindictive for sending Matyewicz to jail for 11 months, using his missed court appearance as a reason; he told him in the courtroom last Friday: "I owe you nothing."
Matyjewicz's lawyer, Kerry Gotlib, plans to appeal, telling the paper his client is "speechless. He's shocked. The guy should not be there." The paper notes that in 2003 Gary showed some signs of vindictiveness when he handed down a 15-year maximum sentence for a robbery case, after the defendant had beaten a murder charge. The case went back to sentencing to a different judge. So... does Poster Boy deserve 11 months behind bars?
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Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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