Judge: No proof Trump's words affected death penalty request

Published February 14, 2019

A New York judge says there's no proof President Donald Trump's words led to a death penalty prosecution against a man in a New York City bike path attack that killed eight people.

Judge Vernon Broderick ruled Thursday in the case against Sayfullo Saipov (sy-foo-LOH' sah-YEE'-pawf).

Saipov's lawyers argued that remarks Trump made calling for the death sentence were disqualifying.

Broderick says the defense has offered no evidence that Trump's remarks impacted the decision to seek death.

The 31-year-old Saipov goes to trial in October in the 2017 attack. Saipov was arrested immediately afterward. He's pleaded not guilty.

Saipov's lawyers say Trump irrevocably tainted the legal process when he tweeted in all capital letters a day after the attack that Saipov "SHOULD GET DEATH PENALTY!"

Saipov is from Uzbekistan.

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/us/judge-no-proof-trumps-words-affected-death-penalty-request