Article February 9, 1998 Issue

TOUCHING THE HEART OF A KILLER

Albert Tomel

The New York Times

Throughout his criminal trial, the defendant's deadly stare never varied. It was his beacon of hate, warning everyone to stay away. If the eyes are the window to the soul, the defendant's soul was in the firm grasp of Beelzebub.

The young man in my courtroom in Brooklyn was charged, along with two cohorts, with gunning down another young man execution style. The defendant was no stranger to the system, and when the jury returned a verdict of guilty, it seemed as if his deadly gaze only increased in intensity.

Every day for two weeks, the victim's family attended the court sessions. On the day of sentencing, his mother and grandmother addressed the court. Ordinarily, when the victim's kin speak at sentencing, they choose not to speak to the defendant directly. On those occasions when they do, they usually express in virulent terms their repulsion at the defendant and his deed.

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