KIPS BAY — A homeless man staying at a troubled Kips Bay men’s shelter robbed another man at knifepoint, threatening to kill him over $8, according to police.
John Jemison, 45, got into an argument about money with the victim on the corner of East 27th Street and Third Avenue at 8 p.m. on June 21, according to a police report.
When the victim, 27, refused to hand over cash that Jemison said was his, Jemison reached into the man’s pocket and snatched out $8, police said.
The victim tried to get the cash back, but Jemison whipped out a folding knife and held it to the man’s throat, telling him “Give me $8 or your f---ing life,” according to a criminal complaint.
Officers caught up with Jemison about an hour and a half later at the 30th Street Men’s Shelter, located at 400 E. 30th St., police said. The facility has been the focus of complaints from residents and lawmakers in recent months, after a man was found murdered with his throat slit in April.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Homeless Services declined to comment on the June 21 robbery because the incident did not occur inside the shelter.
Prosecutors charged Jemison with first degree robbery, according to court records. A judge initially set his bail at $15,000 the day after his arrest but released him without bail a week later, according to a spokeswoman for the Manhattan District Attorney’s office.
He is due back in court on Sept. 12, records show.
Jemison’s lawyer did not respond to a request for comment.
