Kathy E <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
Fifteen-year-old Daphne Abdela has been sentenced to 3 1/3 to 10 years
in jail for the slaying and gutting of a middle-age man in New York's
Central Park last May.
Abdela pleaded guilty last month to first-degree manslaughter in
Manhattan state Supreme Court.
Her lawyer said then that Abdela would not cooperate with prosecutors
or testify against her boyfriend, Christopher Vasquez, who she blamed
for the attack during police interviews.
Abdela told police Vasquez was high on the hallucinogen LSD and flew
into a jealous rage when 42-year-old Michael McMorrow put his arm around
her on May 23, 1997, as the three of them were drinking in the park late
at night.
Prosecutors say 15-year-old Vasquez stabbed the older man 30 times in
his neck, face and chest.
The teens then allegedly pushed the corpse into the park's lake after
slicing open the stomach so it would sink.
Moments before hearing her fate today, she cried and told the packed
courtroom, ``This is a hard mistake that I am paying dearly for, not
only by this sentencing, but also with flashbacks, memories and my
conscience.''
She added: ``It won't be easy waking up every day behind bars.
Hopefully, it will make me a better person.''
Judge Michael Corriero replied: ``Apparently you have a grasp of the
enormity of what you did. You must learn to take the energy that
produces that anger to control it and tame it and live life for two
people -- yourself and the life you took. You must learn to tame it
twice as much and forgive twice as much.''
Abdela's parents sat stone-faced during the proceeding. McMorrrow's
mother, sisters, brother and nephew were also present.
--
Kathy E
"I can only please one person a day, today is NOT your day, and tomorrow
isn't looking too good for you either"
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