A Manhattan judge responsible for releasing career criminal Johnson Earl after he allegedly pummeled an elderly man refused to answer questions about her ruling when paid a visit by The Post Saturday.
“Noooo – you cannot come to my home,” an irritated Beverly Tatham said in response to a reporter identifying themselves, before swiftly shutting the door to her Brownsville home.
The turn-em-loose judge was presumably in no mood to defend how she granted the 44-year-old Earl supervised release – despite a second-degree assault charge for allegedly beating an 83-year-old man on a Lower Manhattan train last month, according to cops.
The horrifying attack unfolded on Dec. 20 after the senior accidentally stumbled over Earl’s foot as a southbound No. 5 train was approaching Fulton Street station, police said.
Earl, enraged, apparently socked the elderly man in the face, sparking a brawl that ended with the perp putting the victim in a chokehold before continuing to pummel him, an assistant district attorney said during Earl’s Jan. 2 arraignment.
The assault left the man with cuts to his face and head, and he later took himself to the Kings County Hospital Center for treatment, according to police.
Despite pleas from the Manhattan District Attorney’s office to set Earl’s bail at $75,000 cash or $100,000 bond – and a lengthy rap sheet that includes 13 prior arrests – Tatham opted to release him back onto the streets.
In July, Earl was arrested for repeatedly punching a security guard at a 99-cent store in The Bronx, according to the criminal complaint, which alleges that he seethed “Why are you not attending to me?” during the beatdown.
He was ordered to stay away from the victim, but the case was later adjourned in contemplation of dismissal, according to Bronx prosecutors.
The career criminal has been arrested at least four other times for assault dating back to 1999, according to police sources.
He’s also been nabbed in the past for criminal possession of a weapon and marijuana possession, the sources added.
Earl is next scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 27, records show.
