TV producer Eric Weinberg has $5-million bail revoked after judge labels him danger to society, CBS New York reports.
Judge Daniel Pollack wrote in a letter that Weinberg has “continued to create a volatile and dangerous environment” by making inflammatory statements on social media and giving interviews to the media.
Weinberg is accused of making death threats against a gay man at a bar in June.
Weinberg told the Journal News a victim of his hate speech is “lucky he’s not dead.” He said the threat was simply a joke.
“This is not a joke,” he added. “You can make someone very dead with one tweet.”
The Journal reported that Weinberg was arrested last June on a battery complaint. He is also accused of a hate crime. He is accused of throwing the man’s drinks at him during an argument at the bar.
Weinberg was released on bail for the charge of hate crime as the case was being litigated, CBS reports.
In a statement to the media, Weinberg denied the claim, saying he had done nothing wrong.
“I have made a number of statements. But I have not made death threats,” he said. “The victim, who is gay, is lucky he’s not dead.”
Weinberg also denied being a threat to anyone else: “I have never attacked any other person or threatened to attack any other person.”
Eric Weinberg is charged with a hate crime related to an attempted assault on a man at a bar in New York City. He posted this image on Instagram from his jail cell on Monday. Photo courtesy of Weinberg/Instagram
The incident also allegedly took place at a bar in the Bronx, CBS reported, citing court documents. Police said Weinberg yelled “gay faggot” at the victim.
In his letter, Pollack wrote that Weinberg’s statements about the victim and his sexual orientation show he has a history of making “vicious and aggressive” statements.
“You recently appeared on Bill Maher’s show, telling him that he should go to jail. I think it’s fair to conclude that you don’t feel safe in your environment and that you present a continuing threat to the community,” Pollack wrote
