Crime Scene Photos: Hammer Attack in New York

On November 11, 2012, Jake Nolan accompanied his cousin, psychiatrist Dr. Pamela Buchbinder, to a New York Home Depot where Buchbinder purchased a mace; 24 hours later, the hammer became key evidence in a crime that ended with Nolan and Dr. Michael Weiss in the hospital.

Dr. Buchbinder and Jake Nolan can be seen, top right, in a New York Home Depot the night before Nolan attacked Dr. Michael Weiss – Buchbinder’s ex-lover. Buchbinder has not commented on why she bought the hammer.

NYC hammer attack

Dr. Michael Weiss, a psychiatrist, had a home/office in midtown Manhattan.

Inside the crime scene

On the morning of November 12, 2012, Jake Nolan arrived at Weiss’ building.

Inside the crime scene

After asking Weiss to print out financial forms, Nolan went to the bathroom to prepare for the attack. Weiss says Nolan came out swinging the hammer.

Inside the crime scene

Weiss says he slipped away just in time, missing the hammer that hit him in the shoulder.

Inside the crime scene

Weiss says Nolan then grabbed the kitchen knife he had brought with him.

Inside the crime scene

Nolan cut Weiss several times.

Jacob Nolan takes a selfie

…and eventually spilled out into the public hallway where neighbors heard the struggle and called 911. As the two injured men waited for help to arrive, Nolan took this selfie.

Inside the crime scene

Weiss, physically taller than Nolan, overpowered his attacker. Weiss says he grabbed the knife and cut Nolan in self-defense.

Inside the crime scene

The two men fought in Dr. Weiss’ office.

NYC hammer attack

Neither man suffered life-threatening injuries, although Nolan was the more seriously injured of the two.

NYC hammer attack

At the time, Nolan claimed that Pamela Buchbinder manipulated him into attacking Weiss. After the attack, Nolan was arrested and charged with attempted second degree murder, among other charges. In 2016, he was found guilty and sentenced to nine and a half years in prison.

NYC hammer attack

In 2017, Pamela Buchbinder was charged with attempted second degree murder and attempted first degree assault.

In 2022, she agreed to a deal to spend 11 years in prison, in exchange for pleading guilty to attempted assault and a lesser charge in connection with the attack on Dr. Weiss.