Uzbek who committed a terrorist attack in New York could not be sentenced to death

Saifullo Saipov, an immigrant from Uzbekistan who committed a terrorist attack in New York, will serve a life sentence. A Manhattan federal court jury failed unanimously to sentence him to death for killing eight people and injuring several others in a terrorist attack in 2017, reports New York Post.

On March 13, the months-long trial of Saipov ended. During the meetings, the victims, with tears in their eyes, spoke about the horror they experienced when a terrorist sent a truck at them. And members of the Saipov family urged the jury to spare his life.

The jury needed a unanimous decision for the death penalty to be handed down, and they were unable to reach that decision unanimously. The jurors deliberated for about 10 hours and were unable to reach a unanimous decision. And this means that Saipov received a more lenient sentence - life imprisonment. During the announcement of the verdict, the defendant did not show any visible emotions.

Saipova found guilty in January. He was convicted of killing eight people on the West Side Highway bike path on Halloween 2017, after she drove them over with a rented Home Depot truck. The jury found Saipov guilty on 28 counts on 26 January.

The recognition of the terrorist as guilty was not the final stage of this case. The sentencing proceeded like another full-fledged trial. Prosecutors and lawyers questioned witnesses, presented evidence, and delivered opening and closing arguments.

Assistant US Attorney Alexander Lee told jurors that Saipov smiled as he made a "proud confession" of what he had done. He also requested that an ISIS flag be hung in the hospital room where he received treatment after the attack.

Prosecutors questioned a variety of witnesses, including survivors of the victims and family members of those killed. They wanted to show the jury the horror of what Saipov had done.

On the subject: In Brooklyn, a man drove a truck onto the sidewalk: 8 people were injured

Family members of those killed have described in great detail how devastated they were by the loss of their loved ones.

These emotional testimonies were mentioned in the prosecutors' dramatic closing speech on March 7, when they called on the jury to convict Saipov.

“The defendant caused unbearable pain to these families. They are still suffering,” said Assistant US Attorney Amanda Hole.

The mother of the deceased Nicholas Cleves, Monica, told the jury that she could not express her grief in words.

“Monica said that there are no words in human language that can adequately describe the excruciating pain that “pierced, swallowed and has not left since.” She said that all the pleasure and connection with life that she had before was taken away, ”the prosecutor quoted the woman as saying.

Saipov's lawyers tried to humanize him by interrogating members of his family

The terrorist's family members tearfully told jurors that they still loved him despite what he had done. Saipov's father, weeping uncontrollably, told the jury that he still loved his son "with all his heart."

This testimony prompted Uncle Saipov, who was sitting in the gallery of the courtroom, to stand up and start shouting in Uzbek.

“Dirty ISIS Bastards!” he shouted in Uzbek. And then he hit the door of the courtroom with his fist and left the hall.

In his impressive closing remarks, Saipov's attorney David Patton repeatedly told jurors that they would have to make a "unique individual moral decision" about whether to sentence the terrorist to death.

“This is a huge responsibility and power. And we ask you to make a decision in favor of life, to decide that the right moral decision here is life,” Patton said.

“There is no need to kill Saifullo Saipov, not for our safety, not for anyone else, not for justice,” he added.

The jurors unanimously found 26 so-called mitigating factors, which they were ordered to take into account when sentencing. Among these factors is that Saipov will spend the rest of his life in the most secure prison in the country in Colorado.

The jury also concluded that Saipov's life had meaning for members of his family. Many of them came from Uzbekistan to testify at the trial.

All 12 members of the jury agreed with extenuating circumstance No. 24 - the fact that Saipov has three children who still love him.

A detailed description of the tragedy of 2017 can be read here. Saipov moved to the US from Uzbekistan in 2010 after winning a green card and lived in New Jersey before the attack.