don't forget marie stefanie martinez

Remember Marie Stefanie Martinez? She's the girl who was assaulted by a gang of kids on a MTA bus because she "looked Chinese." There's still a push to make sure she gets justice, and find out what actions the MTA has taken, if any, as a result of the incident. I was forwarded the following email the other day, regarding requests for documentation regarding this hate crime:

The text of a letter I received from MTA yesterday. Here's the question, if this is the case and MTA did "thoroughly investigate" the incident and "appropriate action will be taken" then why in response to requests for source documentation via MTA's Freedom of Information Law request form does MTA deny having ANY source documentation regarding the anti-Asian hate crime committed against Ms. Martinez?

Specifically, here is the text of the email I received from MTA in response to the FOIL request.

*******************************************************

Re: FOIL request - Marie Stefanie Martinez
Response (Gail Rogers) - 04/05/2007 08:56 AM

Dear Mr. Zuniga:

This is in response to your Freedom of Information Law request,
wherein you requested various information relating to a bus assault,
on the B82 bus, involving Marie Stefanie Martinez.

A search for records relating to the incident described in your
letter, based on the details, date, bus route and name, has been
conducted. However, we have been unable to find any report, and/or
records that respond to your request.

It is possible that, in a crimianal investigation, the Transit
Police and/or the NYC Police might have records responsive to your
request. However, the transit police are part of the NYC Police
Department and, therefore, you will have to make your request
directly to the NYC Police Department for its report.

Accordingly, we consider this request to be closed.

Sincerely,

Gail Rogers
Deputy Foil Officer

*******************************************************

April 23, 2007

Re: Complaint - B82 Bus Operator

This is in response to the above-captioned complaint that you filed
with the Office of the MTA Inspector General concerning a March 16
New York Post article reporting the assault of a 17-year old high
school student. The New York Post article reported that the bus
operator witnessed the assault but failed to take appropriate action.

NYC Transit does not tolerate the type of behavior described in the
article. I want to assure you that this incident was thoroughly
investigated and appropriate action will be taken.

Thank you for taking the time to inquire about this incident.

Sincerely,

Millard L. Seay
Senior Vice President
Department of Buses

Cc: H.H. Roberts, Jr (041601)
B.L. Kluger (21862)
M.J. Fucilli
M.S. Neadel

*******************************************************

Here's what I'm asking folks to do to assist with follow up on this anti-Asian hate crime, no one is going to do it for us, we're going to have to do it ourselves.

1) File an online complaint with the State of New York - Office of the Inspector General -MTA. Tell them you are concerned about how the discipline and investigation of the anti-Asian hate crime committed against Marie Stefanie Martinez is being handled. Request a response.

http://mtaig.state.ny.us/html/complnts.html

2) Submit a FOIL request to both MTA Headquarters and to the MTA police. Specifiy you are seeking any source documentation regarding the MTA's investigation of the anti-Asian hate crime incident involving Marie Stefanie Martinez and any notation of any discipline meted out to the bus operator.

http://www.mta.info/foil.htm

It's important that we see this thing through, and get satisfactory answers. Do not let this anti-Asian hate crime just simply go away.