Conductor Indicted For Murdering Man He Mistook for Attacker
By ARI PAUL
A New York City Transit Conductor who fought off would-be robbers in self-defense earlier this year has been indicted on murder charges for unknowingly killing a man he mistook for an assailant, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office has announced.

Maurice Parks, a Conductor on the East Side IRT, had fought three men in January at the corner of 139th St. and St. Nicholas Ave. in upper Manhattan as he was approaching his home after work. He was stabbed in the stomach, and then fatally stabbed Flonarza Byas, who investigators later determined was not one of the assailants.

'Believed He Was An Attacker'

"While on the telephone with 911, Parks encountered the victim, who neither participated in the robbery nor tried to intervene in the robbery to assist Parks," a statement from the Manhattan DA's office said. "Mr. Byas was on his way home from working two jobs that day when he was immediately attacked by Parks, who apparently believed the victim was one of the attackers. The victim tried to flee, but Parks repeatedly stabbed him 15 times in his back, chest, stomach, arms, legs and face, and chased him a full block."

Mr. Parks was charged with second-degree murder and could face 25 years to life in prison.