STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Facing the possibility of two decades in prison, a 52-year-old defendant standing trial for robbery went on multiple tirades Monday in state Supreme Court, St. George.
Marcel Pridgen, of Mariners Harbor, shouted at Judge Mario F. Mattei that he wanted to be in the courtroom days prior, when the 23-year-old victim in the case testified.
On the day he was referring to, his attorney had informed the judge of the exact opposite — telling Mattei his client only would leave the cell if his mother was in the courtroom. She did not attend that day.
“I said yes! I said yes to officers!” shouted Pridgen during the first outburst Monday.
“That is not true” countered Mattei. “I went to see you in the cells. Don’t lie to me right to my face!”
“Your’e the judge … wow” quipped the defendant.
A few hours later, the jury delivered a guilty verdict for the top charge of first-degree robbery, stemming from 2021 stickup of a Speedway gas station near the defendant’s home in Mariners Harbor.
Pridgen faces up to 25 years in prison. He’s scheduled to be sentenced by Mattei on March 8.
His mother, who did in fact show up on the second day of trial, was not in attendance for the verdict.
THE ROBBERY
Law enforcement officials said the robbery unfolded at around 9:30 p.m. inside 2121 Forest Ave.
Surveillance footage shows Pridgen enter the store, then turn around and try to lock the door, according to the criminal complaint and the victim’s testimony in court.
Video surveillance shows the 22-year-old shift manager run to a back room after she allegedly saw the trigger and handle of a gun in the suspect’s pocket. The video shows the man give chase. She said she explained to him that she didn’t have access to the safe, and when more customers walked in he settled for what was in the register.
Pridgen was pulled over 10 days later, on Dec. 29, near his home at the corner of Lockman Avenue and Harbor Loop, authorities said. He was driving a white…
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