The Staten Island firefighter who nearly killed a fellow firefighter by allegedly slamming a chair in his face made a brief courtroom appearance yesterday - the same day he was put back on the payroll.
Michael Silvestri, 41, was suspended without pay after being arrested for the New Year's Eve brawl that seriously injured his firefighter comrade, Bob Walsh.
Silvestri, who is now assigned to the Fire Department's Bureau of Operations, is on restricted duties, but is back to getting a paycheck, an FDNY spokesman said.
In court yesterday, Silvestri appeared with his new lawyer, Mike Barone, and the case was adjourned until mid-March.
According to sources, the brawl began with some good-natured ribbing that turned violent, when Silvestri allegedly grabbed a metal chair and bashed the 6-foot-8 Walsh in the face.
Walsh's nose was nearly ripped off and his eye sockets and jaw smashed in. The 40-year-old was in a medically induced coma for days at Staten Island University Hospital.
He was later transferred to NYU Medical Center, and last week, the nine-year FDNY veteran was released from the hospital.
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