On Friday, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg announced that a Manhattan man was sentenced for a brutal hate crime that claimed a man’s life in 2021.
Jarrod Powell, 51, was sentenced on Friday, March 31 for the hate crime killing of Yao Pan Ma, 61, in East Harlem roughly two years ago. Powell is to serve 22 years in state prison and five years of post-release supervision.
“Mr. Ma’s death was the result of a despicable racially motivated attack. His family endured an agonizing eight months in the hospital while the devoted husband and father of two remained in a vegetative state, before succumbing to his injuries,” said Bragg in a statement.
On April 23, 2021, Ma was collecting cans in East Harlem on the corner of East 125th St. and 3rd Ave. at around 8:15 p.m. At this time, Powell approached Ma from behind and struck him, causing Ma to fall. While he was lying on the ground, Powell stomped on Ma’s head and kicked Ma in his head, face, and neck numerous times.
An MTA bus driver witnessed the attack and flagged down a nearby ambulance. EMTs transported Ma to Harlem Hospital, where he was treated for facial fractures and bleeding in his brain.
Powell was caught on video surveillance and apprehended by the NYPD four days after the incident on April 27, 2021. Powell admitted that he targeted Ma because Ma was Asian. Powell pled guilty to manslaughter in the first degree as a hate crime on Jan. 12, 2023.
Ma was severely injured with a brain injury that required him to be placed on life support. Ma died of his injuries on Dec. 31, 2021.
Karlin Chan, a spokesperson for the Ma family and founder of Chinatown Block Watch, has been with the Ma family since the day after the incident and helped them navigate the city’s healthcare system. Ma and his wife had immigrated to New York City from China’s Guangdong Province in 2019.
The Mas faced many challenges during the pandemic that introduced more instability in their lives. As a result of a fire in their building in lower Manhattan, Ma moved into his wife’s parent’s residence in the NYCHA Wagner Houses.
“It was one thing on top of another,” Chan said. “He lost his job, couldn’t get unemployment, and then it was a fire in the building they were living, which forced them to move to East Harlem.”
Ma had worked at a restaurant in Chinatown, called Sun Sai Gai, making pastry buns, which then closed during the pandemic. He was unable to receive unemployment benefits because of his citizenship status.
“They told him he was ineligible because he was on a green card, and he hadn’t been working long enough or something like that,” Chan said. “We saw no support from anyone in the city.”
The Upper Manhattan Asian American Alliance, which supports the Asian community in upper Manhattan, issued a statement following Powell’s sentence: “The sentence of 22 years in prison sends a clear message that Yao Pan Ma’s life is worth as much as any American’s. While this case is brought to closure, we must not forget that in many other DA’s offices, hate crimes against Asian Americans are not adequately prioritized and many incidents are not prosecuted.”
The alliance is leading advocacy to bring culturally appropriate social services, including social workers and accessible healthcare, to Harlem’s elderly Asian community. Asians make up 9.5% of East Harlem’s population, most of whom are elderly and live in public housing.
Ma leaves behind his wife, Mrs. Bao Zhen Ma, their two children, and a grandchild — whom Ma had never gotten a chance to meet.
Chan described Ma as “a very gentle person, soft-spoken, never really got into an argument with people.” Ma and his wife were “very close” and they were a “loving couple.” They had been married for around 30 years.
Chan credits Assistant District Attorney Molly Presant for the way she handled the case and held firm in securing Powell’s 22-year sentence. There are currently 39 open anti-Asian hate crimes in the Manhattan DA’s office.
“New York is one of the most diverse cities in the world, and no one should have to fear that they may be in danger because of their background,” said Bragg in a statement. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that New Yorkers of all origins feel safe.”
If you have been a victim or witness to a hate crime or bias incident, call the Manhattan District Attorney’s Hate Crimes Hotline at 212-335-3100.
