NYC BRIEFS

Broken elevators force 20-story hike

Malfunctioning elevators forced about 50 FDNY firefighters to hike up 20 stories carrying about 100 pounds of gear each in order to fight a top-story blaze.

The building in Brooklyn is part of public housing, and a fire was reported early Thursday. FDNY crews discovered the blaze and tried to call the elevators to get to the top, but they didn't work.

They hiked up stairs and found an 89-year-old woman in the burning apartment. She was critically injured, but crews were able to revive her and shuttle her down in a basket.

The FDNY says a second resident was treated for smoke inhalation.

Crews had the blaze under control in about 45 minutes. They are investigating why the elevators didn't work.The elevator's failure to work is under investigation.

Nurses in Kennedy fight: Just doing job

Two nurses who scuffled with one of Robert F. Kennedy's sons say they were just doing their job when they tried to stop him from taking his newborn off a New York maternity ward.

Anna Margaret Lane says Douglas Kennedy twisted her arm when she tried to intervene on Jan. 7 in Mount Kisco. She says he told her he didn't have to obey her because the baby was his.

Hospital guidelines require written permission to remove newborns from the ward.

Cari Maleman Luciano says Kennedy kicked her and she "went flying through the air." They spoke Thursday on NBC's "Today." NBC New York aired the interview Wednesday night.

Kennedy is charged with child endangerment and harassment. His lawyer has accused the nurses of cashing in on his client.

Trial begins in case of body in high-rise

A prosecutor says a handyman hunted a cleaning woman down "like a predator" before killing her and stuffing her body in an air-conditioning vent in a Manhattan skyscraper. But his lawyer says evidence against the man is scant.

Joseph Pabon's murder trial opened Thursday. Pabon denies killing Eridania Rodriguez.

Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Christine Keenan told jurors Pabon smothered Rodriguez with heavy tape as she worked on an empty floor in July 2009. Prosecutors say he hid her body in the duct and went home.

Police found Rodriguez's body four days later. Pabon's DNA was found under her fingernails.

Defense lawyer Mario Gallucci asked jurors to focus on what he called "the lack of evidence." Gallucci has said the DNA could have come from routine work.

Rapist tells victim: 'Learn to let go'

A New York City man convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl in 2002 told his now adult victim to "learn to let go" of her nightmare.

A Brooklyn judge on Wednesday sentenced Adam Wright to 47 years in prison.

He was found guilty in December of forcing himself on the girl on a Brooklyn rooftop. He wasn't arrested until 2008.

Wright said he was a changed man who found God. He told the 21-year-old woman not to "hold on to any pain." He said "give it to the Lord and he'll take care of it for you."

The woman wiped away tears and said that the day she was raped her childhood was taken away from her.

1 dead, 2 injured in West Side crash

The NYPD said a car passenger was killed overnight Thursday on the West Side Highway after the driver lost control of his car.

The 26-year-old victim was taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Police say the 20-year-old driver was traveling north when he lost control of his 2002 Audi at 96th Street around 2:30 a.m. The car plowed into a guardrail and overturned.

The driver and another passenger, an 18-year-old woman, were taken to a hospital where they were listed in stable condition.

An investigation is continuing.

Compiled with wire service reports