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[UPDATE] Lawyer Falls To Death Onto Scaffolding Near City Hall
By
Max Rivlin-Nadler
Published Mar 7, 2014
Modified Mar 7, 2014
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Stjepan Pavich / Gothamist
By
Max Rivlin-Nadler
Published Mar 7, 2014
Modified Mar 7, 2014
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[UPDATE BELOW] A 45-year-old man fell to his death onto scaffolding outside of a building near City Hall this morning. Thus far no criminality is suspected by the NYPD, but officials would not confirm that the man jumped. Paramedics accessed the scaffolding outside of 225 Broadway to reach the body after receiving a call at 7:25 this morning; police tell us the man worked in the building.
Graphic photos sent in by a tipster show blood on sidewalk below the scaffolding where the body landed.
Courtesy @yonkeltron
In an email, one witness says:
"When I got there I saw at least one cruiser and two emergency response vans. They had cones beyond the police tape and were restricting traffic slightly more than the choke point heading toward the WTC construction site. Two uniformed officers were going through that pile of trash and possibly bagging things but had moved on when I went to take pictures. The cops were replaced around the perimeter by the downtown ambassadors in the red."
The identity of the deceased has not been released pending the notification of his family. The Post reports that the man was an attorney whose office is on the 12th floor.
Update 2:03 p.m.:: Police have identified the deceased man as Leonard Morton, an attorney who ran his own practice in the building. The police have yet to determine a cause of death for the Upper West Side resident. In addition to his practice, Morton was an adjunct professor at Hunter College.
If someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide: do not leave the person alone, remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt, and call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional.
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Max Rivlin-Nadler
Max Rivlin-Nadler has been a contributor to Gothamist since 2013. He has also reported for the New York Times, NPR, and The Intercept. His years-long investigation into New York City's arcane civil forfeiture laws led to a series of reforms which altered a practice that had been taking millions from poor communities for decades. Recently, he brought back a surfing habit from a few years on the west coast, and would love to see you all out in the Rockaways.
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