Jamill Jones (Wake Forest University)
Aug. 10, 2018 By Tara Law
An assistant coach for Wake Forest University’s men’s basketball team has been arrested and charged with assault for punching a Florida man in Long Island City early Sunday. The victim later died.
Police say that Kernerville, North Carolina resident Jamill Jones, 35, punched Sandor Szabo, 35, of Boca Raton, Florida on Aug. 5 at around 1:15 a.m. in front of 41-10 29th St.
Szabo reportedly was in town for his step-sister’s wedding, and had recently left his brother’s hotel to return to his own lodgings.
Szabo reportedly knocked on the window of Jones’ white SUV, which was parked near the hotel.
Jones confronted Szabo and punched him in the face, police say. Szabo fell to the ground and knocked his head against the pavement, which knocked him unconscious.
Szabo was rushed to an area hospital, where he died at 2:52 p.m. on Tuesday.
Jones was arrested yesterday and charged with third degree assault.
The medical examiner announced today that Szabo’s death is a homicide.
A spokesperson for the Queens District Attorney’s office did not comment about whether or not the charges will be changed to homicide, but said that the investigation is ongoing.
Wake Forest University commented briefly on the incident on the school’s sports Twitter account last night.
“We have just been made aware of this matter and we are gathering information,” the message said. ”We will make a further statement after we learn more about the matter.”
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21 Comments
Sad all around. And what’s going to come from this is another round of Black vs. White. Race baiting. Sensationalism. Meanwhile, it’s about “lives”. The lives of these 2 men and their families.
Cast no stones, let it be your car that was violated by an apparently drunk individual regardless of the race implied. The Police are charged with protecting life and PROPERTY. When the police are not there one may have to assume their role. Pray that you are not faced with this unfortunate and sad predicament…
I assure you if it was a white person that killed a drunk black person because he was “protecting his property” there would be massive protests led by Deblasio and Sharpton. Cut the crap!
Put your self in each family’s position ?
This article does not present the whole story. According to NY Post, Szabo was drunkenly banging on several cars up and down the block. A resident came outside to confront him about the commotion and was punched by Szabo.
The narrative that he merely knocked on a window of a car that he thought was his Uber is apparently not true.
While a senseless death is utterly regrettable and Jones certainly could have acted differently, it would appear that the deceased is not without fault here
Hope he gets thrown in Prison and the family sues him for everything he owns. Piece of Garbage.
Angry black man retaliates against a white guy knocking on his car window, punches white guy, white guy goes down dead a few days later. If it would have been an angry white man punches black man who knocks on his car window, black man goes down hits head on pavement and dies, white man would been accused of being a racist, mayor would have stepped up had a news conference, Jimmy Van Bramer would have commented and had his photo-op. But not a peep from our elected officials. Wonder why?? I’m pretty sure Jamil Jones regrets reacting and throwing that punch, sometimes you have to just walk away, in ths case drive away. A tragedy for both families….
You read my mind. Absolutely!
So, so, so true, unfortunately.
The “victim” was banging on cars (not tapping on windows)and according to the NY Post (that bastion of political correctness) violently attacked a resident when confronted, only then did Mr. Jones defend himself, others and his property. If the NY Post version of events is true this man should not be convicted of anything.
If the Office of the Medical Examiner determines that the cause of death was homicide, how can the DA not immediately charge this man with homicide? Two sets of laws? Who gets which?
Just like the Eric Gardner case where the NYPD cop strangled someone to death this MAY not be a homicide.
the DA Brown is not all there and everyone knows this to be true — he needs to be retired like years ago. They have been reviewing all of his records and cases.
The difference is Intent. The ME can determine What killed the man, but whether he intended to kill him (probably not) remains to be determined. in any case, this is a dangerous person who knocks someone out first and asks questions later.
Great point Affraid, everyone knows the criminal justice system favors black people…and everyone commenting here would just drive away if an intoxicated person randomly walked up to your car and started banging on it. Punching someone rarely leads to serious injury and who knows the whole story? None of you.
The word “homicide” means death at the hands of another. It doesn’t mean murder or manslaughter or state anything about intent or context or justifiability. All murders are homicides, but not all homicides are murder.
How about first-degree assault for punching someone out for no reason at all? and that must have been quite a punch to knock this large person down on the ground. Or maybe he was drunk, all the more reason for not knocking him out.
Jones punches a guy who in turn dies and “Jones was arrested yesterday and charged with third degree assault.”?! According to other news outlets Jones is free and there was NO BAIL posted. He is set to be back in court Oct 2 and I certainly hope this thug is locked up for the reminder of his sorry, miserable life.
Two lives and families destroyed on one Saturday night out over non sense.
WOW! And I thought it was going to be some low life drug thiefing thug who punched him. An assistant coach from Wake Forrest of all places and he punches a guy for knocking his window? Of course he can say whatever he wants to get himself out of jail, since the victim is dead, so he can’t defend himself.
The charges had better be upgraded. Didn’t he drive away, leaving the guy lying there? Terrible incident. Yes, it seems the guy was drunk: the more reason not to knock him out. Apparently he was looking for his uber ride to go back to the hotel.