An ailing Upper East Side woman accused of stabbing her home health aide was wheeled into court hooked to an oxygen mask at her arraignment Wednesday — as her attorneys argued that she’s too sick to stay at Rikers Island.
“(She’s) literally bent over 45 degrees from physical illnesses,” defense attorney Toni Messina cried about wheelchair-bound Barbara Salberg, 66, who pleaded not guilty to stabbing her 54-year-old female aid in a ritzy Upper East Side co-op building on Aug. 8.
Salberg — who apparently battles lung disease, blood disorder and other ailments — was trying to make a bid for home detention, as she remains locked up on $100,000 bail.
Manhattan prosecutors told Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Cori Weston not to be fooled by the elderly woman’s appearance, saying she had every intention of killing her poor aide.
“(She said), ‘This is the knife I’m going to kill you with,” Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Kaleigh Shea said, as prosecutors tried to increase Salberg’s bail to $200,000.
Prosecutors also said the crazed woman also called the victim a “crazy b–ch” after stabbing her in the abdomen, calling the attack “clearly intentional.”
The new details come after Salberg allegedly knifed the home aide in the stomach in a first-floor apartment at 210 East 73rd St. after the pair argued over an oxygen mask, sources had told The Post.
Salberg, who appeared frail as she blew kisses to family seated in the audience, claimed she’s not getting the care she needs at the city’s notorious jail, and has relatives who could take care of her, her attorney argued.
“She can’t get around, she’s not going to run away,” Messina said of her client.
Salberg is facing charges of attempted murder in the second degree and attempted assault in the first degree.
The judge decided to stick with $100,000 bail for now, but said that she would consider house arrest with electronic monitoring at a future court date.
Salberg faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted of attempted murder.
She’s due back in court on Dec. 16.
