One of the attackers convicted of beating a Jew in 2021 shouted “Free Palestine” after his sentencing – while his defense lawyers claimed the judge was “racist”.
Mahmoud Musa, 23, was sentenced to seven years in prison and five years probation for his role in the unprovoked attack on 31-year-old Joseph Borgen.
Borgen was on his way to a pro-Israel rally in Times Square when he was swarmed by a group of men who insulted him and sprayed him with pepper spray.
The attack came as tensions between Hamas and Israel rose in the Middle East two years ago.
As Musa was led into a holding cell on Tuesday, he turned to tell his family he loved them before shouting “Liberate Palestine” twice.
This provoked another person to shout, “Judging that is racist!” at Judge Felicia Mennin.
While court officers escorted the few rioters out of the courtroom, Borgen and his supporters — many wearing blue “Justice For Joey” hats — stayed behind.
Mahmoud Musa will spend seven years in prison for his role in the horrific beating in New York – more than prosecutor Bragg had recommended
Borgen is seen in the hospital on the left and in an interview on the right the day after the attack
Barry Borgen, the victim’s father, said he was relieved by the verdict.
“I’m glad they finally realized their mistakes,” he said. “They see the atmosphere that is plaguing New York City with the anti-Israel protests and anti-Semitism, they need to crack down, and I think this is just the beginning.”
In his victim impact statement, Borgen recalled Musa chasing him with his “fist pointed backwards…aimed and aimed at me.”
He said: “I was in a fetal position and I was doing everything I could to get out alive.”
“In my opinion, if the police hadn’t come and saved my life, I would have died [Musa’s] Goal and the goal of this group.’
The Jewish man did not speak to the group before being kicked to the ground, insulted and beaten.
He said he still suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and wrist pain from the beating.
Although Musa apologized to Borgen and the Jewish community, the victim said, “I think he was just sorry that he got caught.”
Musa’s lawyer, Lance Lazzaro, had called for the attacker to receive the minimum sentence because he was 23 at the time of the ambush.
The lawyer also said he grew up in an atmosphere where relatives in Palestine lived “like a prison.”
Video of the attack showed Borgen being left defenseless as he was beaten and beaten by a group of eight to 10 people using crutches and flagpoles
Borgen recalled lying on the floor in a fetal position, “trying to protect my head and my face, literally just trying to get out of them alive.”
The Jewish man didn’t say a word before he was chased, kicked to the ground and sprayed with pepper spray
Lazzaro added that Musa lost his father when he was young, grew up in poverty and “never received the proper education to make the right decisions.”
However, Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Junig requested a sentence of six and a half years in prison because Musa allegedly touched a correctional officer’s breast at Rikers Island and “showed no remorse.”
In his own statement to the court, Musa said: “I understand that my behavior was unacceptable and I take full responsibility for my actions and the consequences that resulted from them.”
According to Judge Mennin, Musa’s “participation and selection of a random person of Jewish faith was planned, calculated and intentional.”
The phrase “has nothing to do with your faith, freedom of expression, identity or national origin.” It is imposed [because of your] Actions…that will not be tolerated in any civilized society.”
Musa was taken away after his conviction. Outside the courtroom, his supporters continued to call the judge “racist.”
“I’m satisfied,” Borgen said in court. “I think it was a harsh, severe punishment for a serious, serious crime, and it sends a clear signal going forward that hate crimes … will not be punished with a slap on the wrist.”
Musa’s lawyer, Lance Lazzaro, had called for the minimum sentence for the attacker because he was 23 at the time
Borgen smiles after appearing in court. The climate in which his attacker was convicted is even more politically explosive than in the summer of 2021
The victim speaks to reporters Tuesday after the third of his five attackers was convicted
In 2021, just days after the attack, Borgen spoke out in an interview with , saying he feared for his life.
Borgen, an accountant who lives on the Upper East Side, was on his way to the rally in Midtown when a young man wearing a black bandana began chasing him.
“I turned around to find out what was going on and the next thing I knew I was surrounded by a whole crowd of people physically attacking me, punching me, kicking me, punching me, hitting me with crutches, punching me.” hurting myself with flagpoles,” he told after his release from Bellevue Hospital.
Video showed Borgen lying on the ground while being beaten by the crowd outside 1604 Broadway.
“After I landed on the ground, I was literally in a fetal position trying to protect my head and my face, literally trying to get out of them alive,” Borgen said.
‘I thought I was going to die. I thought I was really going to die.’
Borgen said eight to 10 people took part in the beating, shouting anti-Semitic slurs such as: “You dirty Jew.” We’ll fucking kill you. Go back to Israel. Hamas will kill you.’
He said the most painful part occurred toward the end of the attack when they pepper-sprayed him.
“I thought I was urinating because I felt a stream on my face. They wounded me with a baton or sprayed me with pepper spray for about a minute.’
Musa is the third attacker to be convicted.
Faisal Elezzi, who attacked Borgen with two punches, pleaded guilty in April 2023. He was initially granted three years of probation, but was sentenced to 60 days in prison for a drug offense.
Waseem Awawdeh, who was filmed beating Borgen with crutches, was offered a six-month deal before eventually being given 18 months.
According to prosecutors, after his arrest, Awawdeh said, “I have no problem doing it again,” adding, “If I could do it again, I would do it again.”
The remaining two defendants, Mohammed Othman and Mohammed Said Othman, have yet to be sentenced.