A Beloved Philanthropist, a Grisly Murder and a Neighborhood in Shock

Feb 11, 2020 · 12 comments
MCS (NYC)
While certainly beyond a collective human sorrow I'm certain everyone feels, I'm sorry to say I blame much of the city's homeless situation on the Mayor and progressives that have taken over the democratic party. I'm a New Yorker 35 years deep. I've seen it all. The refusal to address homelessness as a mental health issue and not a "down on their luck" issue is nothing but a manipulation by the left against any reasonable policy. Say one word against a shelter and one is accused in the media of being heartless, mean, racist. My neighborhood is the most violent in the city and got worse under De Blasio, and what's the current news? The police are being investigated and branded as racists because they give summonses to fare beaters. Meanwhile, my wonderful neighbors of all races and colors and genders live daily with the threat of which one of us next? Stabbings, rapes, murders and the outright lie of crime has gone down. That is a lie. And we rail against Trump? We claim to care about the working class? It's depressing and has woke me up to the false mask the progressives put on. We need police officers to enforce laws against public drinking, loitering, urinating, fare beating. Arrest as many people as they must if it keeps decent hard working people from being killed or assaulted. Rest in peace Mr. Litman. It pains me to know this didn't have to happen.
michael kauffman (santa monica)
Right, because murders only take place in neighborhoods with homeless shelters.
Peter (Phoenix)
This is terrible. Just terrible. And it sounds like he was awfully good man.
Bob (Asheville, NC)
Though I never knew him, his words and actions are inspiring and make his death all the more tragic. May we all live by that example of humanity and decency, unafraid of the randomness of fate. May his friends and family find a peaceful respite in that place between sorrow and remembrance.
Irene (Brooklyn, NY)
My condolences to family and friends on the loss of a good man.
Robert A Cohen (Georgia USA)
First degree sex assault plus robbery, then convicted/served 13 years, and how did that process protect the public? Shouldn’t there be a legal way just to verify a new friend’s authenticity I really don’t know, but can a post prison friendship somehow be verified, though some things are deemed confidential. My guess is there is no simple way to do this, and that’s a bloody shame for all potential victims of convicted/punished ex convict. Will murderer serve say 15–20 years, and just do more crime upon release?
BD (SD)
What in the world happened here? Crime rates are declining ... at least so we are told by our politicians and pundits.
awakenow (USA)
What a loss! Rest In Peace dear Mr. L. Antonio Litman.
S.L. (Briarcliff Manor, NY)
Obviously, his prison sentence wasn't long enough. Judges are too lenient when women are sexually assaulted. Some criminals should never be released.
EAH (NYC)
Yet we wonder why people don’t want shelters in them neighborhood.
Matt (NYC)
@EAH This is so wrong on so many levels. 1) this was (seemingly) not a random crime, 2) Mr. Richardson lived in Wards Island, an hour commute from Fort Greene, and 3) MOST IMPORTANTLY according to published literature new homeless shelters in neighborhoods do not result in an increase in crime. These people just need somewhere to sleep. L. Antonio Litman was an advocate for the homeless, and using his death to make your point seems unfair.
Mary Elizabeth Lease (Eastern Oregon)
@EAH yet we wonder why the willfully ignorant are allowed to poison the well of public discourse. Wards Island is not in Mr. Litman's neighborhood.