Repeat offender who assaulted NYPD officer is back in jail again after release on reduced bail and assaulting another victim | Law Enforcement Today

NEW YORK, NY - Ernst Delma, 41, is a repeat offender who garnered media attention in August by assaulting a female NYPD Officer and was released after Bronx Judge Brenda Rivera reduced his bond from $200,000 to $80,000 in October. He is now facing charges again after assaulting another woman randomly on Times Square.

With his bond reduced, Delma only had to come up with $8,000 to walk out of a New York Detention Complex a free man five months ago according to The New York Post. But as his lengthy rap sheet reflects, Delma allegedly couldn’t stay out of trouble for long.

The outlet reported that on Saturday, a woman in her fifties was approached by the suspect seemingly at random and was savagely punched in the face in what the NYPD has termed an unprovoked attack.

NYPD PBA president Patrick Hendry reacted to the attack with evident anger telling the Post, “Nobody should be surprised that a dangerous repeat offender who attacked a police officer in full uniform would turn around and attack a defenseless New Yorker.”

“The only mystery here is why he was allowed back on the streets,” Hendry continued. “This case is just more proof that those who assault police officers need to be kept behind bars.”

The victim’s sister spoke to the Post and told reporters the assailant, “hit the nicest person in the city,” adding “I believe the guy is a threat to women and the safety of New Yorkers.”

“A man who raises his hand to females isn’t a man at all and should be in jail.”

As previously reported by Law Enforcement Today, Delma, who claimed to be intoxicated at the time, was captured on video by a bystander after he punched the female officer repeatedly in the face and knocking her to the ground. The officer was reportedly attempting to break up a scuffle between Delma and a group of teenagers when he struck her.

The officer’s partner is then seen rapidly tackling Delma to the ground as his pants fall down around his ankles and another bystander is seen helping the stricken officer to her feet.

At his arraignment, Delma claimed, “I didn't mean to punch her. It was a self-defense thing. I'm really sorry for doing it. I didn't know I did it, I was intoxicated.” Initially, Judge Eugene Bowen was unimpressed and set his bond to $100,000 for a secure bond, $200,000 for an unsecured bond, or $75,000 cash.

However, as the Post reports on Sept. 9 Delma was brought before Judge Rivera who reduced his bond to $10,000 cash or $80,000 bond. He posted bond on October 7^th and was released. He is now in custody once again and was set to appear in court for the police officer assault on Friday. He is being held at Rikers Island without bail following the Times Square assault.

A spokesperson for the New York State Office of Court Administration told the Post, “We don’t comment on bail decisions except to say that in cases like these in New York, judges have discretion in making bail decisions in accordance with the law and based solely on an individualized assessment of a defendant’s risk of flight."