A commuter who was arrested for kicking a pregnant woman in the stomach was seen crying outside of a New York City court after he was released on bail.

Michael Lee, 40, appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court on Friday and was charged with attempted assault.

His attorney, Lance Fletcher, said in court that his client was trying to protect himself from eight-months-pregnant Natasha Rodney, 28, when he attacked her.

'My client is in a position where he is fending off a violent attack from this woman and we don't have a lot of the details here,' Fletcher said.

Michael Lee, 40, who was arrested for kicking, eight months pregnant woman, Natasha Rodney, 28, in the stomach twice on a New York subway, is seen crying after he was released on a $7,500 bail

Lee's attorney, Lance Fletcher, said in court that his client was trying to protect himself from eight-months-pregnant Natasha Rodney, 28, when he attacked her. Lee is pictured hugging his brother, who paid his bail

Police said Lee (pictured in court), who is a project manager for Viaggio motorcycle company, kicked Rodney in the stomach out of anger after she allegedly pushed him during an early morning commute on a train bound for the Bronx

But Assistant District Attorney Joseph Abrams told Judge Josh Hanshaft: 'This was a violent attack on a ... pregnant woman on a crowded rush hour subway train.'

Lee's attorney argued that he was just trying to hold off Rodney, who attacked him first. Despite the prosecution's attempt to push for $20,000 bail, Lee was released on $7,500 bail, according to the New York Daily News.

Once Lee was released, he walked outside the courthouse and hugged his brother, who posted the bail. Lee was seen wiping tears from his face as he and his brother embraced.

Police said Lee, who is a project manager for Viaggio motorcycle company, kicked Rodney in the stomach out of anger after she allegedly pushed him during an early morning commute on a Bronx-bound No. 4 train at the Bowling Green station.

Authorities said the incident happened around 8am on Thursday when Lee bumped into Rodney on the train.

Rodney reacted by pushing him, it is alleged, knocking him to the floor. He is believed to have then kicked her twice in the stomach in anger.

Police said Lee, who is a project manager for Viaggio motorcycle company, kicked Rodney in the stomach out of anger after she allegedly pushed him during an early morning commute on a train bound for the Bronx. Lee is seen as he was arrested Thursday

Authorities said the incident happened around 8am on Thursday when Lee bumped into Rodney on the train. Rodney reportedly reacted by pushing him to the floor. He is believed to have then kicked her twice in the stomach. She was rushed to hospital after the incident

Rodney was rushed to hospital after the sickening incident.

A witness only named as Janice told ABC News that Lee had kicked out at Rodney while the woman crouched over him and hit her twice in the lower belly.

'So when she's hunched over him, this is when he kicks her,' Janice said. 'And the kick, since she's over him diagonally, the kick lands on her stomach, right on the bottom of her belly.'

Luckily, neither Rodney or the baby, a boy due on March 27, appear to have suffered serious harm, but doctors are keeping a close eye on them.

The victim's mother, Carol Rodney, told the New York Daily News: 'How do you kick a pregnant person? She's due this month. I'm shaking.'

And the grandmother-to-be continued: 'Is he insane? I don't care what argument they had. What if the baby is damaged? What if, God forbid?'

NYPD spokesman Sgt Lee Jones told the New York Post: 'It was a crowded train and the guy bumped into her. She mentioned something to him.'

The row became physical, he said, and the man was pushed to the ground. 'He got back up and kicked her twice in the stomach,' Jones stated.

Luckily, neither Rodney or the baby, a boy due on March 27, appear to have suffered serious harm, but doctors are keeping a close eye on them. Lee pictured as he's arrested by officers

Lee's neighbor described him as an 'oddball' who separated from his wife last year. Lee's wife moved out and took their five-year-old daughter with her after Lee was involved in an altercation with her 14-year-old stepson. He is due back in court on April 26

Lee 'went cooperatively', a vendor outside the station told the Post: 'There's no excuse to kick anybody, but especially a pregnant woman. You're harming two lives at once.'

According to the Daily News, Lee is married and has a five-year-old daughter.

His neighbors described him as an 'oddball' who separated from his wife last year.

Lee's wife moved out and took their daughter with her after Lee was involved in an altercation with her 14-year-old stepson. His wife has two teenage children from a prior marriage.

Police were called to the home and Lee asked for cops to cuff his stepson, but no arrests were made.

Lee will return to court on April 26.