Morgan Stanley is putting Manhattan investment banker W. Bryan Jennings, who was charged with stabbing a cab driver over a late-night fare, on a leave of absence, The Post has learned.
Jennings is co-head of North American fixed-income capital markets at the New York investment bank. Sources said the bank is waiting to see how the matter is resolved before reinstating Jennings.
Leo Civitillo, who holds dual titles as global co-head of derivatives and co-head of fixed income, is expected to be named the sole head of Morgan Stanley’s North American fixed-income business.
A Morgan Stanley spokesman declined to comment.
Described internally by co-workers as one of the “nicest guys you’ll meet,” Jennings was charged Dec. 22 with stabbing a taxi driver with a penknife in a fight over the fare from Manhattan to his multimillion-dollar Connecticut home in Darien, Conn., police said.
Jennings also was charged with assaulting and intimidating the Middle Eastern-born driver with racial slurs during their altercation after Jennings left a charity event.
Jennings, 45, claims the driver “abducted’’ him and that it’s “mind-boggling’’ that the cabby hasn’t been charged. Jenning lawyer, Eugene Riccio, has also denied that Jennings made racial slurs.
Jennings’ lawyer claims that the taxi driver charged him an “exorbitant” $300 fee, refusing his offer of $160.