A man accused of beating a Brooklyn boy with a crutch came across in court as someone who has confused real life with the CBS crime drama “NCIS.”
At arraignment Friday night in Brooklyn Criminal Court, Jamal McIlwain, 28, was warned by a judge to stop speaking erratically and nonsensically.
McIlwain replied: “I work for NCIS, though. I’m just trying to help.”
“NCIS,” which is about US Navy crime investigators, has run on CBS since 2003, and has spawned several spinoffs.
Judge Simiyon Haniff played along.
“I do hear that,” the judge said. “Congratulations.”
McIlwain thanked the judge politely, and stated, “I don’t oversee the case, but I’m trying to help the people.”
Haniff urged McIlwain to listen quietly to the charges against him, since he was “aware of the system.”
But McIlwain did not relent and continued to mumble incoherently yet politely over the judge.
When Judge Haniff warned McIlwain he’d be in contempt of court if he continued, McIlwain walked to a door leading to the area where court officers hold defendants before their hearings.
He turned and yelled: “We can talk another time. Have a great one. Thank you.” Then, he went into the custody area.
“I think it’s pretty clear based on my client’s outburst in court … that he does have mental health issues,” said defense lawyer Jonathan Fink. He asked that McIlwain be sent for psychiatric evaluation.
Brooklyn Assistant District Attorney Christian Calderon requested bail be set at $75,000 cash. Haniff ordered McIlwain held without bail, and requested the psychiatric evaluation.
McIlwain is charged with randomly attacking a young Brooklyn boy on Nov. 16 at around 7:40 a.m. Police say McIlwain repeatedly beat the boy with a crutch at the corner of St. Pauls Court and St. Pauls Place in Flatbush, leaving him with a deep cut.
The suspect was arrested Wednesday when cops responding to a call for a man acting erratically recognized him as the suspect in the Flatbush attack.
