A man has been given the maximum sentence of 60 years in prison for the killing of a Bangladeshi American taxi driver in Stamford, Connecticut.
The convicted Shota Mekoshvili, 32, stabbed 47-year-old taxi driver Mahomed Kamal 127 times on August 27, 2014.
Protesters demand justice for the murder of Bangladeshi American taxi driver Mahomed Kamal in front of a Connecticut court
Stamford AdvocateJudge John Blawie delivered the verdict on Tuesday, describing Mekoshvili's attack as an act of "viciousness and pure brutality" as he rejected the defence's plea for a minimum sentence of 25 years.
Shota Mekoshvili, who was convicted of killing a Bangladeshi American taxi driver by stabbing 127 times
Stamford Advocate"Based on the viciousness of this murder, even the most severe sentence the court can hand down may seem inadequate to the family or people who loved the victim to match the magnitude of this brutality," Blawie said as quoted by the Stamford Advocate.
About 100 family and friends of Mahomed from the Muslim community were present at the court during sentencing, including his widow Razia Shalia and their 7-year-old son Sayfayet.
"I'm so happy," Razia said after hearing the verdict. "I'm very thankful to the jury, judge, lawyers and the Stamford police department."
Mekoshvili's lawyer Norm Pattis had initially argued that Mekoshvili acted in self defence after Mahomed attempted to instigate a sexual encounter with him. However, the defence later claimed the incident was a botched robbery when evidence emerged that about $500-700 and credit cards were missing from Mahomed's person when his body was discovered.
"The circumstantial evidence doesn't support his [Mekoshvili's] story," Blawie said as quoted by the Hartford Courant.
"It appears [Kamal] was the subject of torture rather than a robbery gone wrong," he added, saying the senseless and violent crime was a result of Mekoshvili's heroin addiction.
Protesters demand justice for the murder of Bangladeshi American taxi driver Mahomed Kamal in front of a Connecticut court Stamford AdvocateJudge John Blawie delivered the verdict on Tuesday, describing Mekoshvili's attack as an act of "viciousness and pure brutality" as he rejected the defence's plea for a minimum sentence of 25 years.
Shota Mekoshvili, who was convicted of killing a Bangladeshi American taxi driver by stabbing 127 times Stamford Advocate"Based on the viciousness of this murder, even the most severe sentence the court can hand down may seem inadequate to the family or people who loved the victim to match the magnitude of this brutality," Blawie said as quoted by the Stamford Advocate.
About 100 family and friends of Mahomed from the Muslim community were present at the court during sentencing, including his widow Razia Shalia and their 7-year-old son Sayfayet.
"I'm so happy," Razia said after hearing the verdict. "I'm very thankful to the jury, judge, lawyers and the Stamford police department."
Mekoshvili's lawyer Norm Pattis had initially argued that Mekoshvili acted in self defence after Mahomed attempted to instigate a sexual encounter with him. However, the defence later claimed the incident was a botched robbery when evidence emerged that about $500-700 and credit cards were missing from Mahomed's person when his body was discovered.
"The circumstantial evidence doesn't support his [Mekoshvili's] story," Blawie said as quoted by the Hartford Courant.
"It appears [Kamal] was the subject of torture rather than a robbery gone wrong," he added, saying the senseless and violent crime was a result of Mekoshvili's heroin addiction.