The thug who attacked her even took her cane. A suspect is in custody in the mugging of Lillian France, age 85. Tracy for News
Abson, paroled on May 7, was crying and remorseful after his arrest Wednesday at his work-release job as a street cleaner, police said.
The suspect confessed to the Aug. 14 attack on 85-year-old Lillian France, and then insisted on writing a personal letter of apology to the senior citizen, said Det. Maureen Sheehan of the NYPD Central Robbery Squad.
The half-page letter said "that really wasn't him," Sheehan said. "Because of the drugs is why he did what he did."
The victim's niece was beaming from ear to ear upon hearing word of the arrest.
"I don't have to speak," said Claire France, a guidance counselor. "My smile says it all ... Besides giving birth to my kids, this is my happiest moment."
France said her next stop was the Kingsbridge Jewish Medical Center to share word of the arrest with her aunt.
Abson confessed to another assault in the area, on a 67-year-old man. Police said he was a suspect in 10 other assaults, and they were planning line-ups to link him with those attacks.
Charges were pending against Abson, who told police the attacks were prompted by a crack addiction.
The assault on France, seen flailing helplessly before dropping to the ground on the tape, was stunning in its brutal imagery.
Abson has 11 prior arrests and four convictions, a police source said.
He was released from prison just three months ago after his 2002 conviction for choking and mugging three elderly victims in Brooklyn, the source said.
He also did time for a July 1994 conviction for choking and robbing a senior citizen; for a grand larceny auto conviction in 1992; and for an attempted robbery at gunpoint in 1990.
Investigators believe Abson followed France from her bank on Eastern Parkway and then slipped behind her and into an elevator at a Prospect Heights apartment building.
Abson choked France until she fell unconscious before fleeing, police say.
© Copyright 2008 NYDailyNews.com
August 21, 2008
USA: Suspect arrested in elevator granny beating
NEW YORK (NY Daily News), August 21, 2008:
By Alison Gendar, Staff Reporter
A crackhead career criminal just three months out of jail confessed to choking a Brooklyn senior citizen unconscious before stealing $900 - and the helpless victim's cane.
The heinous attack, captured on an elevator security camera, was the work of four-time loser Cornelius Abson, 36, who's spent most of his adult life in jail on four separate robbery convictions, police said.
Reign of Terror
His arrest came after a detective who busted Abson for three 2002 choke-and-rob attacks on elderly victims recognized the suspect when the elevator video ran on the local news, police said.
The thug who attacked her even took her cane. A suspect is in custody in the mugging of Lillian France, age 85. Tracy for News
Abson, paroled on May 7, was crying and remorseful after his arrest Wednesday at his work-release job as a street cleaner, police said.
The suspect confessed to the Aug. 14 attack on 85-year-old Lillian France, and then insisted on writing a personal letter of apology to the senior citizen, said Det. Maureen Sheehan of the NYPD Central Robbery Squad.
The half-page letter said "that really wasn't him," Sheehan said. "Because of the drugs is why he did what he did."
The victim's niece was beaming from ear to ear upon hearing word of the arrest.
"I don't have to speak," said Claire France, a guidance counselor. "My smile says it all ... Besides giving birth to my kids, this is my happiest moment."
France said her next stop was the Kingsbridge Jewish Medical Center to share word of the arrest with her aunt.
Abson confessed to another assault in the area, on a 67-year-old man. Police said he was a suspect in 10 other assaults, and they were planning line-ups to link him with those attacks.
Charges were pending against Abson, who told police the attacks were prompted by a crack addiction.
The assault on France, seen flailing helplessly before dropping to the ground on the tape, was stunning in its brutal imagery.
Abson has 11 prior arrests and four convictions, a police source said.
He was released from prison just three months ago after his 2002 conviction for choking and mugging three elderly victims in Brooklyn, the source said.
He also did time for a July 1994 conviction for choking and robbing a senior citizen; for a grand larceny auto conviction in 1992; and for an attempted robbery at gunpoint in 1990.
Investigators believe Abson followed France from her bank on Eastern Parkway and then slipped behind her and into an elevator at a Prospect Heights apartment building.
Abson choked France until she fell unconscious before fleeing, police say.
© Copyright 2008 NYDailyNews.com
The thug who attacked her even took her cane. A suspect is in custody in the mugging of Lillian France, age 85. Tracy for News
Abson, paroled on May 7, was crying and remorseful after his arrest Wednesday at his work-release job as a street cleaner, police said.
The suspect confessed to the Aug. 14 attack on 85-year-old Lillian France, and then insisted on writing a personal letter of apology to the senior citizen, said Det. Maureen Sheehan of the NYPD Central Robbery Squad.
The half-page letter said "that really wasn't him," Sheehan said. "Because of the drugs is why he did what he did."
The victim's niece was beaming from ear to ear upon hearing word of the arrest.
"I don't have to speak," said Claire France, a guidance counselor. "My smile says it all ... Besides giving birth to my kids, this is my happiest moment."
France said her next stop was the Kingsbridge Jewish Medical Center to share word of the arrest with her aunt.
Abson confessed to another assault in the area, on a 67-year-old man. Police said he was a suspect in 10 other assaults, and they were planning line-ups to link him with those attacks.
Charges were pending against Abson, who told police the attacks were prompted by a crack addiction.
The assault on France, seen flailing helplessly before dropping to the ground on the tape, was stunning in its brutal imagery.
Abson has 11 prior arrests and four convictions, a police source said.
He was released from prison just three months ago after his 2002 conviction for choking and mugging three elderly victims in Brooklyn, the source said.
He also did time for a July 1994 conviction for choking and robbing a senior citizen; for a grand larceny auto conviction in 1992; and for an attempted robbery at gunpoint in 1990.
Investigators believe Abson followed France from her bank on Eastern Parkway and then slipped behind her and into an elevator at a Prospect Heights apartment building.
Abson choked France until she fell unconscious before fleeing, police say.
© Copyright 2008 NYDailyNews.com
