Prosecutors: Man with history of domestic violence knifed woman
TRENTON >> A city man with a long history of domestic violence is in trouble again for allegedly slicing his girlfriend’s sister in the back with a knife, prosecutors said.
Ronald Rogers, 37, told the court at a bail hearing Wednesday that he is innocent and he has worked hard to turn his life around, landing a job as a manager at McDonald’s, after he admittedly “went ballistic” following the death of his father.
By ballistic, Rogers means he racked up five felony convictions and five restraining orders with five separate domestic violence victims. His girlfriend’s sister would make six, prosecutors said.
The dustup allegedly occurred March 27 at a city apartment on the 200 block of Tyler Street, according to court records.
Police contend the victim and Rogers lived together at the apartment, prosecutors said. His attorney disputed that and said her client has lived with his girlfriend for two years at another city apartment.
Assistant Prosecutor Michael Mennuti said Rogers punched his girlfriend’s sister in the face. While he had a knife in his hands, Rogers tried to restrain the woman and cut her in the back, Mennuti said.
Members of Rogers’ and the victim’s families witnessed it, the prosecutor said.
Police arrested Rogers on the street, not at the scene, and said they found him with a 13-inch machete, Mennuti said. It is unclear if that is the weapon allegedly used in the attack. Mennuti said police described the weapon used in the attack as a knife.
Malaeika Montgomery, Rogers’ attorney, said, “This is not a domestic violence incident.”
She contended Rogers got “dragged into” a volatile situation when his girlfriend called him to the apartment after she was involved in a fight with her sister, the victim. She said her client did not have a knife or machete on him when he was arrested and police discovered a weapon in the backyard of the Tyler Street apartment.
She said her client is in jeopardy of losing his job at the fast-food restaurant because of an “unfortunate situation that is going to come out in the wash.”
Judge Peter Warshaw raised the suspect’s bail to $25,000, in part because of his criminal past and history of battering women.
He has been convicted in the past of contempt, simple assault and aggravated arson, court records show. The aggravated arson conviction was in another county, according to court records.
In 2006, he was sentenced to six years in state prison on the aggravated arson conviction, Mennuti said.
Rogers begged the judge to lower his bail, saying he has tried to get back on the right path. He has worked at McDonald’s as an assistant manager for the last five years. His attorney said that was quite an accomplishment for a convicted felon.
“I’ve been in trouble all my life,” Rogers said. “I just got caught up in two sisters fighting. I didn’t fight nobody. I did nothing wrong.”