Lawyers for a man convicted of killing eight people along a Manhattan bike path say prosecutors are seeking “eye for an eye” justice by using tearful testimony from victims and their families to convince a jury to order death.
They asked the judge presiding over the death penalty phase of Sayfullo Saipov's trial to declare a mistrial over the issue.
“The government’s victim-impact evidence has been laden with emotional testimony, improper references to and characterizations of Mr. Saipov and his crime, and appeals to jurors’ emotions and sympathy for the victims and their plight," the lawyers wrote.
