Is “Subway Slayer” Ryan Beauchamp Getting Off Easy With Misdemeanor Charges For Death Of College Student?

Alleged “Subway Slayer” Ryan Beauchamp was charged yesterday with a collection of misdemeanors for his role in the grisly death of 20-year-old college student Joshua Basin, who was hit by a train following a fight with Beauchamp at a Brooklyn subway station last week — and people are pissed.

Beauchamp’s been charged with two counts of attempted third-degree assault, harassment, and disorderly conduct — all misdemeanors — after apparently starting the fight that landed he and basin on the subway tracks. Beauchamp got away, while Basin was hit by a train.

However, as we noted yesterday, Basin didn’t start the fight, but he apparently is the reason it ended up on the subway tracks.

According to a criminal complaint obtained by the Voice, witnesses told responding officers that they
watched Beauchamp “poke” Basin in the chest while the two men were
inside of a Brooklyn-bound “L” train about 10 p.m. Friday.

When the train came to a stop at the Bedford Avenue station, Beauchamp, who reportedly was drunk at the time, grabbed Basin by the back of his shirt and pulled him out of the train onto the subway platform. The two men then got into a fist fight, during which each man threw punches.

In the middle of the fist fight, Basin jumped on Beauchamp, causing the two men to fall onto the tracks. Beauchamp was able to get off the tracks, but Basin wasn’t as lucky — he was hit by an oncoming train. He was pronounced dead on arrival at Bellevue Hospital.

The fact that Beauchamp doesn’t face more serious charges — especially after grabbing “Basin by the back of his shirt” and pulling him out of the subway car — has people outraged.

One commenter on our post yesterday penned the following:

KEY SENTENCE: “Beauchamp
grabbed Basin by the back of his shirt and pull him out of the train
onto the subway platform” He should be charged with MURDER! This is an outrage! What the f***K is wrong with this city. This lowlife deserves jail. His mother just buried her only son, who indeed had a whole life ahead of him. And he gets to live on, doing NOTHING but begging us hard workers for money. Jesus Christ Joshua I. Basin did not deserve this, nor does him family and friends.

Another commenter presented a different scenario:

If Ryan was driving a car (drunk) and accidentally hit him, this would be manslaughter.
But if Ryan is riding the subway (drunk) and intentionally starts a fight, it is attempted assault and harassment.
My thoughts are with Joshua Basin’s shattered family.

Clearly, people aren’t thrilled with the charges, but we want to know what you think: is Beauchamp getting off easy?