A Manhattan CVS worker who fatally stabbed a serial shoplifter in self-defense has been completely vindicated, with his record wiped clean after a judge dismissed all remaining charges—a stunning victory for workers’ right to defend themselves against violent criminals.
Story Highlights
- Scotty Enoe acquitted of manslaughter and had weapons charge dismissed, clearing his record entirely
- Enoe acted in self-defense against Charles Brito, a homeless repeat offender with history of violence
- Case highlights failures of NYC’s soft-on-crime policies that embolden dangerous criminals
- Victory represents rare win for working Americans forced to protect themselves from lawless predators
Complete Legal Vindication for Working Man
Scotty Enoe, a shelf stocker at a Midtown Manhattan CVS, achieved complete legal vindication after a judge dismissed his remaining weapons charge, fully expunging his record. The 46-year-old worker had already been acquitted by a jury of manslaughter charges stemming from the July 2023 fatal stabbing of Charles Brito, a homeless serial shoplifter. Enoe’s complete exoneration represents a rare victory for working Americans forced to defend themselves in an increasingly lawless urban environment.
Self-Defense Against Violent Career Criminal
The confrontation occurred when Brito, a known repeat offender with an extensive history of shoplifting and violent behavior, entered the CVS at Broadway and West 49th Street. Witnesses testified that Brito threatened staff and physically attacked Enoe, who responded by using a folding knife to protect himself and two female coworkers. Enoe’s coworkers, Katrina Rivera and Allandrea Hoollness, corroborated his account of Brito’s aggressive behavior and threats during the trial proceedings.
Consequences of Failed Progressive Policies
The incident occurred against the backdrop of New York’s disastrous criminal justice reforms that have emboldened repeat offenders like Brito. Since 2019, bail reform measures reduced pretrial detention for nonviolent offenses, while Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s policies deprioritized prosecution of shoplifting unless accompanied by significant violence. These misguided reforms created a revolving door system that allowed career criminals to repeatedly victimize businesses and threaten hardworking employees with impunity.
The CVS location had become one of the few remaining orderly drugstores in a district plagued by rampant theft and disorder. Retailers throughout Midtown Manhattan reported escalating violence from emboldened repeat offenders who faced minimal consequences for their criminal behavior. This dangerous environment forced ordinary workers like Enoe into impossible situations where they must choose between personal safety and potential legal jeopardy.
Broader Implications for Workers’ Rights
Enoe’s complete vindication sends a powerful message that working Americans have the fundamental right to defend themselves against violent criminals. The case demonstrates how progressive prosecutors’ misplaced priorities have created dangerous conditions where law-abiding citizens face prosecution for protecting themselves from career criminals. This victory may encourage other retail workers to stand up against the lawlessness that has plagued American cities under failed liberal policies.
NYC CVS worker cleared in fatal stabbing of crazed shoplifter has record wiped clean: ‘A free man’ https://t.co/gUeRwOqNcu
— ConservativeLibrarian (@ConserLibrarian) September 12, 2025
The complete dismissal of all charges against Enoe represents justice served for a hardworking American who was forced into an impossible situation by the failures of progressive governance. His exoneration highlights the urgent need to restore law and order while protecting the rights of citizens to defend themselves, their colleagues, and their communities from violent predators.
