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ALBANY — A man shot by an officer as he charged at Albany police while allegedly wielding a knife rejected a plea bargain from Albany County prosecutors because prison would be a “death sentence,” his attorney said Thursday.

Jordan Young, who was wounded in the Jan. 24 incident near Madison and New Scotland avenues, faces a felony charge of menacing a police officer and misdemeanor possession of a weapon.

On Wednesday, during an appearance before Albany County Judge William Little, Young rejected a plea deal that would have required him to plead guilty to menacing a police officer. In return, Little would sentence Young to no less than three years in prison and no more than five years behind bars. 

Assistant Public Defender Rebekah Sokol, the attorney for Young, told the Times Union her client is still recovering and has surgery scheduled for next week. 

“After being shot twice in the torso and nearly dying, and then being chained to his hospital bed for weeks while recovering, Jordan Young has now been offered a resolution to this case that would amount to a death sentence,” Sokol said.

The attorney said Young has an open wound in his stomach and is continuing to use a colostomy bag. 

“If Jordan were to go to prison in his physical condition, he could easily die,” Sokol said. “We absolutely understand and appreciate the seriousness of the criminal charges Jordan faces, but his physical health and safety need to be paramount.”

She said it was “inconceivable” that her client’s medical issues were not being considered by District Attorney David Soares’ office.

“How would justice be served by sending him to prison for years?” Sokol asked. “We will continue fighting the case, and hope the prosecution reconsiders.”

On the night of the incident, Young, 32, a married father of two children who has mental health issues, had not taken his medication. Police were in the area of lower New Scotland Avenue looking for a person believed to be running on a rooftop in connection with a reported home invasion on the 100 block of Morris Street. Prosecutors later said Young placed a 911 call to bring police to the location.

According to the testimony of officers and body camera footage played at a preliminary hearing in February, Officers Francis Fogarty and James Madsen saw Young walking toward a potentially active crime scene — the would-be home invasion — alongside a large dog. Young allegedly crouched and placed a large, razor-blade-like knife to the dog’s neck.

On the body camera footage, an officer can be heard saying: “What is that? What is that?”

One officer yelled at Young: “Sir — put the knife down.”

The video showed Young charge at Madsen who used his service gun to shoot Young.

Prosecutors have said that Young’s behavior was escalating in the days and weeks leading up to the shooting. They said that on Dec. 3, he pulled a knife on an employee at Crossgates Mall after being confronted over the alleged theft of a shirt; on Dec. 24, he showed up at his aunt’s home with a semi-automatic pistol and threatened to kill her; and on Jan. 14, he went to the home of his father’s girlfriend and made threats while armed with a gun.

Young remains free under supervision of probation.

Robert Gavin covers state and federal courts, criminal justice issues and legal affairs for the Times Union. Contact him at rgavin@timesunion.com.