A federal jury in New York said Monday it was unable to reach a unanimous verdict on whether to impose the death penalty on a man who was inspired by ISIS to drive a truck down a crowded Manhattan bike path — killing eight people.
(Bloomberg) — A federal jury in New York said Monday it was unable to reach a unanimous verdict on whether to impose the death penalty on a man who was inspired by ISIS to drive a truck down a crowded Manhattan bike path — killing eight people.
Jurors sent a note to the judge after deliberating for about nine hours over two days in the punishment phase of the case against Sayfullo Saipov, who was convicted in January of murder and other charges, including providing material support to a terrorist group.
According to the jury instructions, jurors must agree unanimously for the death penalty to be imposed. If they don’t, Saipov would get a life sentence. The judge asked the jury to return to the courtroom to ask them whether they have completed the verdict form and to read it.
The US Government had advocated for the death penalty rather than a life sentence, arguing Saipov is too dangerous for prison. During the trial to determine his punishment, jurors heard testimony from surviving victims and relatives of those killed by Saipov on the West Side Highway bike path on Halloween in 2017.
The case is USA v. Saipov, 17-cr-00722, US District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan).
(Updates to include jury instruction.)
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