Make New York Post a Preferred Source The stick-wielding man who allegedly admitted to fatally bludgeoning a beloved Central Park artist with a stick was found not fit to stand trial, a Manhattan judge revealed Tuesday.
Jonathan Robles, 36, was set to be arraigned in Manhattan Supreme Court on murder charges for the Sept. 27 Central Park killing of Lee Rogers, a 63-year-old bird artist, before the madman’s attorney jumped in and said that he failed his mental health evaluation.
“I’m objecting to my client from being arraigned — he’s not fit,” attorney Mitchell Schuman told Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Althea Drysdale just before the scheduled arraignment.
The mental health exam — also known as a 730 exam — was ordered by a criminal court judge at his initial arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court in October.
Prosecutors revealed that Robles’ exam results were only returned Monday, and asked the judge for a three-week adjournment for them to “digest” the findings to figure out how they will proceed.
Robles, who appeared in court wearing a tan jail jumpsuit, had a brief conversation before the proceeding with the judge, sat quiet during the brief court appearance.
Prosecutors have said Robles, who is homeless, had brazenly admitted to bashing Rogers, a talented homeless artist known for her wildlife watercolors of birds, after she had hit him first with a stick.
“She hit me on my body with a stick, so I took the stick from her,” Robles told police, according to the criminal complaint.
“I hit her with it more than 20 times. I did it until she couldn’t hit me anymore.”
Rogers’ body was found in a gazebo near the park’s boathouse not far from 74th Street and East Drive — where a stick was found broken in pieces and dripping with blood, according to prosecutors.
Rogers, who referred to herself as Francis Lee Rogers, was also known as Elise Bainbridge Hill.
She died from blunt force trauma to her head, according to the city’s medical examiner.
It was Robles first time appearing in person in court since his arrest.
He is charged with one count of murder in the second degree, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted.
Robles’ attorney had previously told The Post that his client has a “serious mental issue.”
The judge remanded Robles and ordered all parties back to court on Dec. 2.
