Does John Fox deserve to go to jail for his alleged role in Michael Sandy’s 2006 death? That’s what a Brooklyn jury’s deciding right now.
2o-year old Fox stands accused of luring the 29-year old gay man to a Brooklyn highway last year. Once Sandy arrived, Fox and three friends allegedly attacked Sandy, who ran into traffic, was hit by a car and later died.
Prosecutors say hate motivated Fox’s attack. Fox’s defense, John D. Patton, say he’s innocent. What’s more, police forced Fox’s guilty confession.
The first reasonable doubt is you have statements by two detectives that claim those statements were made voluntarily by my client without coercion. I submit to you ladies and gentlemen that you have the right to throw all of those statements into the garbage can.
Patton also took aim at Gary Timmins, the 17-year old who copped a plea and pointed the finger at Fox, Anthony Fortunato and Ilya Shurov. “I submit to you, ladies and gentlemen, that Timmins will be in and out of jail for the rest of his life. He’s a sociopath.”
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Prosecutor Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi insists, however, that Fox’s confession should stand. And also pointed to some other facts:
Nicolazzi cited the testimony from Timmins, 17-year-old Richard Folio, a friend of the defendants, Fox’s statements, and other evidence in urging the jury to convict on felony murder.
“The defendant’s statements alone, coupled with the fact of Michael Sandy’s death, are enough to convict this defendant on felony murder.”
Ms. Nicolazzi also Patton hadn’t presented any evidence, such as a motive. Rather, the attorney relied solely on attacking witness credibility, including a woman who says she saw Fox beating Sandy.
