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"Ethereal" Dagger-Toting Perp Refuses DNA Test
By
John Del Signore
Published Dec 23, 2010
Modified Dec 23, 2010
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By
John Del Signore
Published Dec 23, 2010
Modified Dec 23, 2010
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In March, cops picked up a guy on St. Mark's Place with a giant dagger poking out of his backpack. Upon further questioning, they learned he had a storage unit down at the South Street Seaport, where, the Post reports, police found a loaded pistol, three more daggers, a stun gun, and a total of 305 additional rounds of ammo. Hellooo, nurse. The bearded, bespectacled man identified himself as one James Edward O'Donnell, age 39, but then clammed up, and investigators have been unable to confirm that that's even his real name. In fact, they have no clue who this guy with the weapons cache really is. O'Donnell has no rap sheet, no drivers license, and no Social Security number.
"This is a very strange case, in that this defendant has been accused of all forms of weapons charges and the people are absolutely uncertain as to his identity or whereabouts," Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Lewis Stone said in court today. Prosecutors want to test O'Donnell's DNA by swabbing the inside of his mouth, but he's refused. "In 2007, I joined the military," O'Donnell, who speaks with what may be an Irish accent, cryptically told the judge. "My identity could be vouched for by them. I've already been investigated by them." It's unclear what nation's military he was referring to.
O'Donnell faces felony weapons possession charges, and at his next court date he could be forced to render his DNA. Interpol has a record of trespass and assault charges against the same O'Donnell from a couple years ago, and his attorney cited that record as a reason to allow his client out on bail. "He's no longer some ethereal figure," defense lawyer Howard Simmons told the judge. "He is an ethereal figure," the judge fired back. "I have no idea where he's traveled in this time of terrorist attacks." Like Kaiser Soze, O'Donnell's fast becoming a myth, a spook story that judges tell their kids at night.
Tagged
dna
ETHEREAL FIGURE
JAMES O'DONNELL
mystery
south street seaport
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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