Man accused of assaulting Craig Melvin held without bail on hate-crime charges
Andrew Truelove, 41, was remanded to Rikers Island without bail after violating probation and faces felony burglary and misdemeanor menacing charges linked to a July 16 incident at NBC’s “Today” studio.
A New York court ordered Andrew Truelove, 41, to be held at Rikers Island without bail after he violated the terms of his probation. Truelove is accused of entering a vestibule near Studio 1A at NBC’s Rockefeller Center on July 16, approaching co-anchor Craig Melvin and allegedly using a racial slur. He is charged with a hate-crime burglary, a felony, and menacing, a misdemeanor.
According to court records, Truelove previously pleaded guilty to criminal mischief in May and breached the associated parole. His criminal history includes a 2007 conviction for attempting to abduct an eight-year-old in Virginia, as well as prior trespassing, property-damage, bomb-threat, and probation-violation offenses. A psychiatrist testified that he exhibits bipolar-disorder symptoms and had stopped taking medication.
The “Today” show said a security guard failed to prevent Truelove from entering the restricted area and that the guard was dismissed. A spokesperson said the individual was detained by law-enforcement without further incident and that no one was injured. NBC and the program said they are reviewing security protocols and cooperating with the investigation.