Things aren’t always as they first appear: Identity twist in hammer attack on tourist
When a Spanish tourist was abruptly pummeled in the head by a hammer-wielding stranger on a park bench last week, there seemed to be little mystery about who attacked him — a suspect from Brooklyn was arrested nearby and confessed, authorities said.
But now the case may not be so straightforward: Prosecutors are investigating whether the suspect gave authorities a phony name after a chess master in Canada told them he believes the man is using his identity.
At the moment, the suspect is being held without bail on attempted murder and other charges relating to the hammer attack; he hasn’t been charged with any other crime. The Manhattan district attorney’s office is looking into the false-identity allegation, a person familiar with the case said Wednesday, speaking on condition of anonymity because the person wasn’t authorized to discuss the matter publicly.