Female NYP Reporter Furious After Punk Who Sucker Punched Her Reportedly Out on $1 Bail
The man accused of assaulting a New York Post reporter two years ago has finally been arrested — but the circumstances surrounding his case have reignited criticism of New York’s criminal justice policies.
Tina Moore, the New York Post’s NYPD bureau chief, revealed over the weekend that Kamieo Caines — the man who allegedly punched her in the stomach while she was walking to work in August 2023 — was recently taken into custody.
However, despite the serious nature of the assault, Caines was granted $1 bail in connection with that incident by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office. Moore called the decision “insulting,” particularly in light of Bragg’s reputation for being lenient on crime.
Caines remains behind bars at Rikers Island — not for the alleged assault — but because he was arrested in a separate case for allegedly trying to sell drugs to an undercover police officer. Bail in that case was set at $200,000. According to officials, he was found in possession of 17 vials of crack cocaine and seven baggies of heroin.
Police were able to charge Caines in the assault on Moore only because they had been actively pursuing him in the drug case, which kept the statute of limitations for the assault from expiring, a police source told Moore.
Caines has a lengthy criminal history, including 20 prior arrests. He was on parole at the time of the attack and has past convictions, including a 2013 case involving an assault at Rikers and a 2017 incident in which he slashed two men with a box cutter in a subway station.
Moore said she captured a photo of Caines shortly after the August 8, 2023, attack near Chambers Street and Broadway. Despite identifying him to detectives, she said legal limitations — including New York’s 2019 bail reform laws — made it difficult for police to detain him at the time.
“Simple assault is a misdemeanor and not bail-eligible,” Moore wrote. “Even if officers had arrested Caines two years ago, he would have been released immediately.”
Moore, who has covered crime in New York City for over 20 years, said she has reported on a surge in random assaults since bail reform took effect. After becoming a victim herself, she says she sees those stories in a new light.
“New York needs to do better — for me and for every other crime victim in this city,” she said.
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