The failed mayoral candidate accused of punching TikToker Halley Kate on the streets of New York City will represent himself at trial after pleading not guilty.
Skiboky Stora, 40, allegedly punched the social media star in the face as she walked through the Chelsea neighborhood on March 25.
He appeared before the New York Supreme Court on Tuesday, where he pleaded not guilty to third-degree assault as a hate crime and asked to represent himself.
Judge Althea Drysdale warned him he may not be able to prepare a proper defense because he does not have the skills of a trained lawyer, but he said he understood the risks.
Prosecutors alleged that Stora engaged in a six-month pattern of hate crimes between September 2023 and March this year. The victims also included a 17-year-old boy walking to school, an assistant principal and a Jewish couple.
Failed mayoral candidate Skiboky Stora, 40, accused of punching TikToker Halley Kate on the streets of New York City, will represent himself at trial after pleading not guilty
They asked the judge to increase his bail from $10,000 to $25,000, but this was denied and a restraining order was issued on behalf of the four alleged victims.
TikTok star Kate, 23, recorded herself moments after being punched in the face pointing to the large bump the size of a ‘devil’s horn’ on the left side of her forehead in a video that has been viewed more than 50 million times.
Stora was arrested two days after the incident and linked to a series of other attacks in the city.
He asked to represent himself at the final hearing, telling the court: ‘I don’t want you to violate my rights. A white judge said that as a black person I have no right to represent myself.”
Judge Drysdale told him he faces a conviction because he may not be able to adequately defend himself, but he said he understood and she ruled he could represent himself.
He appeared in New York Supreme Court on Tuesday, where he pleaded not guilty to third-degree assault as a hate crime and asked to be allowed to represent himself.
Stora allegedly punched social media star Kate in the face as she walked through the Chelsea neighborhood on March 25
Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Edward Smith asked to increase Stora’s bail to $25,000 because he faces a longer sentence on the more serious charges.
“The suspect is accused of a six-month pattern of hate crimes between September 2023 and March 2024,” he said.
“One of the victims is a white 17-year-old boy who was walking to school and crossed paths with the suspect.
“He elbowed him in the neck and said you guys think you can do whatever you want.
“On October 26, 2023, the defendant attacked a second victim who was the assistant principal of the first’s school, a light-skinned Hispanic woman.
‘The defendant elbowed her in the left shoulder completely without any provocation, causing bruising.’
The influencer, who has over a million followers on TikTok, said she lost consciousness and fell to the ground after the attack
The prosecutor added that Stora was allegedly tearing down posters of kidnapped Israeli hostages on East 15th Street and Fifth Avenue when a Jewish couple caught him on camera.
“The woman, a white blonde Jewish woman, took a photo and continued to watch as he pulled more posters off the ground,” Smith said.
“He saw them looking and became enraged, following and shouting at them. He zigzagged back and forth, kept following them and shouted “f*** you white boy, you want to fight”.
“As the couple rushed into a lobby, the suspect chased them inside. He said, “Those Jews are dying.”’
He added: “On March 25, 2024, the last victim, a young white woman, was looking at her phone when the defendant struck her in the head and knocked her to the ground.”
Stora is said to have shouted ‘look where you’re going’ during the incident with TikTok star Kate.
“Each time the suspect struck, he was walking his black and white dog. He was wearing the same jacket and using the same belt,” the prosecutor said.
‘He routinely harasses women he does not know and while addressing clearly uncomfortable women, he makes racist and misogynistic comments.’
Judge Althea Drysdale warned him he may not be able to prepare a proper defense because he does not have the skills of a trained lawyer, but he said he understood the risks.
Prosecutors alleged that Stora engaged in a six-month pattern of hate crimes between September 2023 and March, and that the victims included a 17-year-old boy walking to school, an assistant principal and a Jewish couple
In addition to regularly running unsuccessfully for public office, the 40-year-old also performs as a rapper under the name Designer Attitude.
But Stora denied the allegations as “lies,” saying: “Judge, I believe the prosecutor is using this bail as a weapon to violate my rights and due process.
“I have a $10,000 bond, I have nothing to hide. I’m just an American citizen who loves my country who came as a refugee.”
He claimed he tore up the hostage posters because he was cleaning up his community and has never met Kate in his life.
Judge Drysdale denied the application to vary his bail but granted a full protection order and told Stora to return to court on August 6.
Stora has run for office in New York City several times over the past three years, including attempts to become mayor, governor and city council member.
In addition to regularly running unsuccessfully for public office, he also performs as a rapper under the name Designer Attitude.
A slew of other women claimed they were victims of random violence on the streets of Manhattan.
TikTok personality Mikayla Toninato says she was punched in the face while walking home from class, in a video that has been viewed 7.4 million times.
Toninato said she was looking at her phone and texting when a man came out of nowhere and punched her in the face.
“I don’t know if this is something that’s going around,” Totinato said, referring to Halley Kate’s similar story.
She warned her followers not to walk around on their phones and to be “super aware” of their surroundings.
Mallik Miah, 30, was arrested in March and charged with allegedly assaulting 27-year-old Toninato in Greenwich Village during an attack in broad daylight.