By Bill Parry
A Rego Park woman pleaded guilty Friday to first-degree manslaughter for shoving a man to his death in front of a No. 7 subway train in December because she thought he was a Muslim, according to the Queens District Attorney.
Erika Menendez, 33, is expected to be sentenced to between 22 and 25 years in prison for approaching 46-year-old Sunnando Sen from behind and pushing him off the platform at the 40th Street subway station in Sunnyside, just as a train came into the station, according to the criminal complaint.
Sen was struck by the train and died of multiple blunt force trauma. He lived in Elmhurst.
“The defendant has admitted committing what is every subway commuter’s worst nightmare – being suddenly and senselessly pushed into the path of an oncoming train,” DA Richard Brown said. “The victim was shoved from behind and had no chance to defend himself.”
Menendez was observed pacing and talking to herself before the attack, according to the criminal complaint and prosecutors said she chose Sen as a target believing he was a Muslim.
Sen was born in India and raised Hindu.
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparr
