Stepfather indicted for choking teen stepson to death released by Bronx judge
A stepfather charged with strangling his 15-year-old stepson to death earlier this year was freed without bail by a notoriously lenient Bronx judge on Wednesday — despite a request by prosecutors that he be remanded.
Tyresse Minter, 28, was indicted for criminally negligent homicide and manslaughter last week for allegedly fatally choking his teen stepson Corde Scott inside their Westchester Square apartment on Jan. 23, the Bronx District Attorney’s Office announced.
Minter was arraigned on Wednesday in Bronx Criminal Court before Judge Naiti Semaj, who ordered he be released on his own recognizance, even though the DA’s office asked he remains locked up ahead of his trial, prosecutors said.
The stepdad — who was on parole after being released from prison a month earlier — allegedly put his stepson in a chokehold during an argument in their home, cutting off the teen’s oxygen supply, according to the DA’s office.
Minter then allegedly wrapped his legs around Scott and held him until he lost consciousness. The teen died at the scene.
It remains unclear what the two were arguing over.
The stepfather didn’t call 911 until about 20 minutes after Scott lost consciousness, prosecutors said.
Minter initially claimed that when Scott came home from school, he was agitated and started screaming, police sources said at the time.
At one point, Minter claims the teen tried to attack him with a weapon – prompting him to wrestle his stepson to the ground, according to the sources.
The boy had issues at school and was bullied, the sources said.
Minter was on parole for an assault that landed him in prison for three years, state Department of Corrections records show. He was released this past December.
The state DOC did not immediately return a request for comment from The Post.
Minter is scheduled to return to court on June 20.
Semaj, a Democratic judge who was elected in 2021 after earlier serving in Bronx Civil Court, has a history of cutting loose allegedly violent offenders.
In one case last May, she sparked outrage after she ruled in favor of 16-year-old rapper Camrin Williams, known as “C Blu,” who was accused of shooting and wounding an NYPD officer during a scuffle while he was on probation for a prior gun case.
Semaj ruled the cop had no reason to search the teen during a Jan. 18 incident and Williams’ case was dropped.
Minter’s release comes as Gov. Kathy Hochul is reportedly negotiating with state lawmakers to pass a budget that eliminates a rule requiring judges impose the “least restrictive means” that will ensure defendants return to court.
