Woman Who Stabbed Trans Man On Subway Claims She Acted In Self-Defense

The woman who sliced the face of a transgender black man on the New York City subway claims she acted in self-defense.

Stephanie Pazmino was charged with attacking Ijan Jarrett on a No. 4 train Sunday after reportedly declaring she didn’t want to “sit next to black people.”

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Jarrett says he was heading home from work as a barber when he offered Pazmino a seat. She refused but he got up anyway, so she could sit with her friend. That’s when Pazmino allegedly started attacking him without warning, slashing Jarret’s face, hand and arm with a “sharp object used for cleaning fingernails,” according to police.

Pazmino maintains she was protecting herself, however, after Jarrett “tried to take out her eyes with his nails and fingers.”

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According to defense attorney Elsie Chandler, a mark near her right eye corroborates Pazmino’s version of events. “This was an unfortunate incident on the subway at Christmas time where lots of people lose their tempers,” said Chandler.

Pazmino, who was charged with second degree assault and criminal possession of a weapon, lives in a shelter for women with psychiatric problems.

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched for Jarrett, to help with medical bills and his dream of running his own barber shop.