NYC professor who threatened reporter with machete pleads guilty to menacing

College Professor Pleads Guilty to Menacing Reporter with Machete

A college professor from New York City recently pled guilty to menacing a reporter with a machete. As part of her plea deal, 45-year-old Shellyne Rodriguez is required to complete 13 months of behavioral therapy. Her next court date is set for May 15, 2024, to ensure she complies with the plea agreement.

Incident in May

In May, a video captured Rodriguez lunging from her apartment into the hallway, brandishing a machete near New York Post reporter Reuven Fenton’s throat. Fenton had knocked on her door to seek a comment after Rodriguez, who was then a professor at Hunter College, had an altercation with students displaying anti-abortion materials. She had reportedly criticized the materials as “propaganda” and thrown items from the display.

Chasing the Reporter

After the confrontation in her apartment, Rodriguez pursued Fenton onto the street, wielding the machete. On May 25, she surrendered to the police after allegedly threatening to harm the reporter with the weapon. She faced charges of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and menacing.

Changes in Employment

Rodriguez was subsequently dismissed from Hunter College and now works at the Cooper Union School of Art, a private Manhattan institution. She serves as an adjunct professor and teaches a sculpture class during the fall semester.

Lawsuit Against NYPD

Additionally, Rodriguez is engaged in a federal lawsuit against the New York City Police Department. She alleges that the NYPD set a “brutal trap” for and assaulted protesters during a Black Lives Matter protest on June 4, 2020, which followed George Floyd’s murder. She claims that the police initiated a physical assault on the protesters, including the use of force, pepper spray, and violence. Approximately 250 people were arrested that night, and they were held in close quarters during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NYPD has denied these allegations in court filings, and the case is currently proceeding through the judicial system.