A Bronx subway rider accused of slashing an MTA conductor across the face after she told him to stand clear of the doors is now facing a jury in Bronx Criminal Court. Opening statements began Friday, with prosecutors telling jurors they will show surveillance footage of the attack and call the conductor, a 36-year-old woman, to the stand. The case, stemming from a June 10, 2025 platform assault, has again put a spotlight on safety for frontline transit workers.
Isaiah Thompson, 29, is charged with multiple felonies, including first-degree assault and criminal possession of a weapon, according to a press release from the Bronx District Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors say the conductor suffered facial lacerations that required stitches and that Assistant District Attorney Dylan Flanders is prosecuting the case. Thompson was arrested on a warrant two days after the incident, the DA’s office said.
Prosecutors say surveillance shows the attack
In opening arguments, prosecutors told jurors they had surveillance video that captures the moments before and during the attack, and they played it in court, according to New York Daily News. The footage allegedly shows Thompson walking up to the conductor after she made routine announcements and lashing out when told to stand clear of the doors.
Prosecutors said Thompson yelled, “shut the f— up! don’t tell me what to do!” before slashing the conductor, the paper reported. They told jurors that the video, paired with the conductor’s testimony, will form the backbone of their case.
How the attack unfolded
According to court filings and contemporaneous reporting, the assault took place on the Whitlock Avenue station platform on the No. 6 line at about 12:20 p.m. on June 10, 2025, while the conductor, identified in the indictment as Lynette Pierce, was checking the platform. She sustained two facial cuts, was taken to St. Barnabas Hospital for treatment and later released, according to ABC7. Thompson was later located at his Morrison Avenue address and indicted on the charges.
Union presses for worker safety
Members of Transport Workers Union Local 100 packed the Bronx courtroom in a visible show of support for Pierce and used the moment to press for stronger protections for transit employees, the union said. TWU leaders called the incident another example of how dangerous transit jobs have become and argued that cameras on trains and in stations are essential tools for identifying suspects, according to TWU Local 100. Their presence underscored the emotional stakes as jurors began hearing evidence.
What’s next in court
Thompson has pleaded not guilty and remains remanded while the trial proceeds. His attorney told the judge the defense expects to call only the conductor as a witness, according to New York Daily News. Prosecutors have urged jurors to closely scrutinize the surveillance footage and weigh Pierce’s testimony in deciding whether Thompson is guilty of the charges. The trial is set to continue in Bronx Criminal Court in the coming days as both sides present their cases.
