A 24-year-old Queens man has been accused of knocking a veteran arts journalist unconscious last week near Times Square, police say. 

Leighton Jennings of Jamaica was charged with second-degree assault after Randy Gener was punched in the face at 53rd Street and Seventh Avenue while walking home from the after-party for a play Jan. 17, police say.

The 46-year-old suffered head trauma and has been in and out of consciousness since the attack, family members say. Doctors had a to remove a portion of his skull to allow his brain to swell, and it could take more than six months for him to recover. 

Gener's family and friends initially speculated the beating may have been a bias attack because Gener is gay and his wallet was not stolen. Police said Jennings has not been charged with a hate crime, however.

It's not known whether Jennings has an attorney.