A Manhattan jury had already determined that Sayfullo Saipov can be sentenced to life imprisonment on Wednesday for finishing up the 2017 terrorist assault on a West Side bike path that killed eight folks, together with six international vacationers.
But earlier than Judge Vernon S. Broderick imposed that sentence, about 20 victims, relations and others addressed the courtroom, in particular person or in writing, aiming their anger, unhappiness and, in a couple of circumstances, their forgiveness immediately at Mr. Saipov.
Among the spectators on the daylong listening to had been lots of the 12 jurors who participated within the two-month trial and weighed whether or not Mr. Saipov, 35, ought to obtain the loss of life penalty or life in jail. Because the jury couldn’t attain a unanimous verdict, Mr. Saipov obtained an computerized life sentence.
The jury foreman, J.P. Patrick, 69, of Yorktown Heights, N.Y., revealed after the listening to that throughout the deliberations, the jury initially was cut up with eight jurors favoring capital punishment and 4 in favor of life imprisonment. Ultimately, he stated, the jurors deadlocked at 7-to-5 in favor of a life sentence.
Mr. Patrick stated the jury left the deliberation room “believing we had done our job soberly, intelligently and with compassion.”
Prosecutors stated throughout the trial that Mr. Saipov, an immigrant from Uzbekistan, informed the authorities after his arrest that he was happy with what he had finished and had carried out the assault to grow to be a member of the Islamic State.
Amanda Houle, one of many prosecutors, stated on Wednesday that Mr. Saipov “delights in the suffering he has caused these victims.”
“Every indication from the evidence,” Ms. Houle stated, “is that the defendant would do this again if he could.”
Mr. Saipov, talking by way of an Uzbek interpreter, additionally addressed the courtroom. Showing no regret, he spoke for nearly an hour, finally specializing in what he stated was the persecution of Muslims around the globe.
Mr. Saipov stated that if a Muslim kills “one unbeliever anywhere,” folks will discuss that crime “for months and months,” however that they don’t speak “about innocent Muslims dying” in lots of different locations.
Judge Broderick imposed eight consecutive life sentences on Mr. Saipov — one for every fatality — and consecutive sentences totaling 260 years on different counts.
“The conduct in this case is among the worst if not the worst I have ever seen,” Judge Broderick stated, “both in terms of the impact it had on these victims and the sheer unrepentant nature of the defendant.”
As the victims spoke, Mr. Saipov remained principally expressionless, sitting by his legal professionals and maintaining his head lowered. Occasionally, he seemed up on the audio system.
“Mr. Saipov, I am one of your victims,” stated Marion Van Reeth, a Belgian girl who within the assault sustained a spinal wire harm and damaged ribs and needed to have each legs amputated. “I will never be able to walk like you can. I loved my life. I loved to walk.”
She requested Mr. Saipov whether or not he was nonetheless satisfied, greater than 5 years later, that his “cruel act” towards harmless folks was the correct factor? Did he really feel he was a soldier of ISIS and was he nonetheless happy with his act?
“I really hope not,” she added.
Maria Alejandra Sosa, whose husband, Alejandro Pagnucco, was one in all 5 Argentine bicyclists killed, informed Mr. Saipov he was “worthless” and “pitiful,” including that she seemed ahead to the day when Mr. Saipov died in jail.
Monica Missio, whose 23-year-old son, Nicholas Cleves, was killed, stated her little one would have seen Mr. Saipov’s truck rushing towards him and recognized he was going to die.
“He must have been terrified,” Ms. Missio stated, including, “I’m haunted by the horror of it.”
The case was the primary federal loss of life penalty trial throughout the administration of President Biden, who had campaigned towards capital punishment. In searching for Mr. Saipov’s execution, prosecutors had cited what they described as his premeditative behaviors, reminiscent of his planning of the assault, in addition to the hazard he would pose in jail, his lack of regret and his professed need to additional ISIS’s ideological targets.
Mr. Saipov carried out the assault on a balmy Halloween Day, when the bike path was crowded with vacationers and others, mowing them down in a rented 6,000-pound Home Depot truck, crushing a few of the victims and sending others flying into the air.
He plowed into one group of 10 Argentine associates who had been biking two-by-two, placing and killing “every single rider on the left side of the column,” Alexander Li, one other of the prosecutors, stated throughout the trial.
Among the eight fatalities within the assault had been the 5 Argentine bicyclists and a Belgian girl, Ann-Laure Decadt. The different victims had been Mr. Cleves and Darren Drake, a 32-year-old monetary employee from New Jersey.
Rachel Pharn, who sustained a damaged foot and ankle and harm to her left shoulder when Mr. Saipov’s truck hit her, was the final sufferer to talk. She addressed Mr. Saipov.
“I want to know how you came to be,” Ms. Pharn requested him, “how you got to where you are, how I can fix you, so I can figure out how to fix the world.”
Source: www.nytimes.com