ITHACA, N.Y. — A man facing several charges for allegedly stabbing a man on the Stewart Avenue bridge pleaded not guilty to the charges against him in court Friday afternoon.
Khaliq Gale, 21, was indicted last week on charges of first-degree assault, second-degree assault and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He pleaded not guilty to the charges on Friday and remains out on bail.
In court, Assistant District Attorney Alyxandra Stanczak asked Judge John Rowley to increase the terms of Gale’s release to $10,000 cash bail or $20,000 bond, an increase from the original $1,000 cash bail or $2,000 bond.
“This is an assault with the weapon in a public place,” Stanczak said.
On Sept. 27, Gale is accused of stabbing a man on the Stewart Avenue bridge after an alleged drug deal gone bad. Police released a photo fo him to the public, and he turned himself in to police.
She also said the prosecution had a strong case, and she handed over discovery evidence to the defense that includes photos and video evidence from the Stewart Avenue bridge area.
Defense attorney Seth Peacock said Gale turned himself in to police not once but twice. The first time the two of them went to the courthouse, Peacock said there was not an officer working on the case at the police station. So the two of them returned again the next day to turn him in.
Peacock also pointed out that Gale has made all of his court appearances, went to high school at Ithaca High School and has ties to the community.
While Rowley did not increase Gale’s bail, he did require him to submit to electronic monitoring.
“It’s intended to make sure you are amenable to court order restrictions,” Rowley said.
Featured photo: Police respond to the scene of a stabbing on the Stewart Avenue bridge on Sept. 27, 2016. Photo by Jolene Almendarez/The Ithaca Voice