A man accused of attacking and robbing a CTA Red Line passenger in the Loop may have gone from “Give up your sh*t!” to “Can I get an I-Bond?” in record time.
It happened in felony bond court after prosecutors charged Nygel Goodman, 20, with attacking and trying to rob a man on the train at Jackson last Thursday evening. Goodman’s efforts to be given a recognizance bond on violent attempted robbery charges weren’t successful.
Prosecutors said witnesses flagged down cops patrolling the Jackson station to alert them to a robbery in progress on a train around 6:25 p.m.
The victim was sitting on the train when Goodman and two juveniles started arguing with him, and Goodman punched him in the face, according to the allegations. One of the juveniles began punching the victim’s face, too.
“Give up your sh*t!” Goodman allegedly yelled. “Give me your f*cking headphones!”
Prosecutors said he then tried to snatch the victim’s headphones from his hands.
CTA surveillance cameras allegedly recorded the entire incident. Police arrested Goodman, 20, at the scene.
He is charged with attempted robbery and aggravated battery of a transit passenger.
His public defender said he recently graduated high school and works as a convenience store cashier. He has no criminal convictions in his background, prosecutors said.
Judge Charles Beach set his bail at $50,000 with electronic monitoring, meaning Goodman must post a $5,000 deposit to go home on house arrest.
That’s when Goodman, against the advice of Assistant Public Defender Carolyn Howard, tried to negotiate.
“I cannot post that, sir,” Goodman began. “Can I get an I-Bond w/electronic monitoring, please?”
An I-Bond, or individual recognizance bond, would require no monetary payment for release.
“You cannot get an I-Bond, sir,” Beach replied. “You committed an act of violence, and it’s contained on video.”
“Allegedly,” Howard countered.
“But we did not, but….” Goodman stammered.
“Sir! Sir! Stop talking,” advised Howard. “He’s not going to change the bond. Okay? You have another court date.”
“Ms. Howard’s absolutely correct. Once I’ve made up my mind, I very rarely change it, so….”
“Can you try to change it?” Goodman begged. “Please, sir. I’m in school and everything.”
“I appreciate you’re in school. Perhaps that should have been the focus that night rather than what else you were doing that night,” Beach offered.
“But I did not strike him multiple times,” Goodman continued, as a court reporter diligently recorded every word that he was warned prosecutors might use against him.
“Sir! Sir! Sir! Sir!” Howard interrupted. “Don’t talk about your case … You’re done at this point.”
With that, Goodman apparently accepted his fate — at least until another judge reviews his bail conditions on Friday.
CPD did not immediately respond to an inquiry about what charges, if any, were filed against juveniles in the case.
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