Accused NY attacker's lawyers propose
deal to avoid death penalty
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[January 18, 2018]
By Brendan Pierson
(Reuters) - Lawyers for the Uzbek man
accused of killing eight people by speeding a truck down a New York City
bike path in October proposed a plea deal on Wednesday in which their
client would accept life in prison without parole if prosecutors did not
seek the death penalty.
The lawyers for Sayfullo Saipov, 29, made their proposal in a court
filing opposing prosecutors' request on Tuesday that U.S. District Judge
Vernon Broderick set an April 2019 trial date. The prosecutors had cited
victims' "strong desire for closure."
Saipov's lawyers said the requested date would not leave enough time to
prepare for trial in a possible death penalty case, and said the fastest
way to resolve the case would be for prosecutors to accept their
proposed deal.
"In short, a decision by the Government not to seek the death penalty
would bring immediate closure to the case without the need for the
public and victims to repeatedly relive the terrible events of October
31, 2017," the lawyers wrote.
The office of interim U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman in Manhattan, which
is prosecuting the case, is expected to make a recommendation on whether
to seek the death penalty, though the final decision will be made by
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
Both Berman and Sessions were appointed by President Donald Trump, who
on Twitter called for Saipov to face the death penalty.
Berman's office declined to comment. A lawyer for Saipov could not
immediately be reached for comment.
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Sayfullo Saipov, the suspect in the New York City truck attack is
seen in this handout photo released November 1, 2017. St. Charles
County Department of Corrections/Handout via REUTERS
Saipov, a legal permanent resident of the United States, was
arrested immediately after the Oct. 31 attack in which police said
he plowed a truck down a bike lane on Manhattan's West Side. Islamic
State claimed responsibility for the attack, which was the deadliest
assault on New York City since Sept. 11, 2001.
On Nov. 21, Saipov was charged in an indictment with eight counts of
murder, 12 counts of attempted murder, one count of providing
material support to Islamic State and one count of violence and
destruction of a motor vehicle resulting in death. He pleaded not
guilty on Nov. 28.
Following the attack, Saipov told investigators he was inspired by
watching Islamic State videos and began planning the attack a year
earlier, according to a criminal complaint filed by prosecutors the
day after the attack.
(Reporting by Brendan Pierson in New York; Editing by Leslie Adler)
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