The mother of a New York firefighter who was beaten to death by a gang member after a minor collision with their cars was crying in court on Friday when her son’s killer was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Judge Vincent Del Judis, convicting 33-year-old Joseph Desmond, said he was a dangerous, unrepentant person who had to spend the rest of his life behind bars.
“The heartfelt hope and desire of this court is never, never to be released from prison,” Del Judis said.
Desmond killed 33-year-old Faisal Coto on December 9, 2018 near the Verrazano Bridge, which connects the Staten Island and Brooklyn neighborhoods in New York.
Koto, a three-year FDNY veteran, crashed into Desmond’s car and stopped to exchange insurance information.
Desmond approached Coto, hit him in the head with a heavy object, and fled – he was later arrested at a motel in New Jersey.
Who later died of multiple skull fractures.
Prosecutors say Desmond was a member of the Staten Island gang who was once convicted of hate crimes for assaulting a gay man.
Faisal Coto, 33, was beaten to death near the Verrazano Bridge in New York in December 2018.
Joseph Desmond, 33, was a member of the Latin Kings’ gang, Staten Island prosecutors said. He had previously been convicted of assaulting a gay man
Desmond was taken to court on Friday for sentencing
Ishmael Koto, Faisal Koto’s brother, told his killer that it was “a struggle to live in a world without my brother”
Faisal and Ishmael Koto’s mother cried in court on Friday as her son spoke about the damage caused by Faisal’s murder
Ishmael Koto seen in Brooklyn court on Friday after his brother’s killer was convicted
On Friday, Koto’s brother told a Brooklyn court how Faisal was their mother’s stone, describing him as a kind and generous man dedicated to his family.
“Since December 9, 2018, it has been a struggle to live in a world without my brother,” said Ishmael Koto.
“Today you are 33 years old and my brother was the same age when he took your life.”
Struggling to control his emotions, Ishmael smiled, calling his brother a “mother boy” who loved their mother.
“You took away someone who meant the world to so many people,” Koto said.
“You took our moments.” You took away a mother’s beloved son. Faisal was my mother’s boy. And his goal in life was to take care of his mother and make sure she was always happy and cheerful in life.
Koto’s mother wiped away tears as her son spoke.
“Faisal was an amazing soul,” added Koto.
Faisal Koto was a three-year FDNY veteran based in Coney Island
Faisal Koto, far right, sees his FDNY colleagues. Many attended his funeral in 2018
Eric Gonzalez, Brooklyn County Attorney, described Desmond as a ruthless killer.
“He not only attacked and injured him, but left him lying on the side of the road without shouting for help, without shouting for help,” he said.
“It was a real sign of cowardice.”
In his statement, Desmond challenged the evidence and showed no remorse.
“I object to this process in its entirety,” Desmond said.
The judge was angry with Desmond’s attitude.
“Not only have you deprived the victim, the family of a son, a brother and an uncle, but you have also deprived the people of this city of a person who is committed to meeting their need for help and assistance during a crisis,” he said. .
“I can stop you from hurting other people by keeping you in jail for the rest of your life, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
Faisal’s mother and brother enter Brooklyn Supreme Court Friday before sentencing and backed by Faisal’s former colleagues
Koto’s mother and father meet in court in Brooklyn on Friday
Koto’s colleagues – who appeared in large numbers at his funeral on Coney Island, although he was not at work at the time of the incident – were present in court to hand down the sentence.
“Faisal Coto was a great, selfless man, loved by all who knew him, an advantage to his family, friends and fellow firefighters, an advantage to New York,” said Andrew Ansbro of the Uniformed Firefighters Association.
His loss is lost to all of us.