Bike Path Attacker Sentenced

An Islamic extremist convicted of killing eight people in an attack on a Manhattan bike path in October 2017 was automatically sentenced to life in prison without parole yesterday after a federal jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision on his punishment. The deadlock means prosecutors were unable to impose the death penalty on the 35-year-old attacker, who sped a truck onto a bike path.

The federal jury in January found Sayfullo Saipov, an Uzbekistan citizen, guilty of 28 charges, including murder in aid of racketeering and supporting a terrorist organization. Prosecutors said he drove a rented truck into bicyclists on a path along the Hudson River, before crashing into a school bus and being shot by police. Five tourists from Argentina, two Americans, and a Belgian woman were killed in the attack.

Federal executions have been paused under the Biden administration while the Justice Department reviews the death penalty policy, but prosecutors have been allowed to push for capital punishment in cases inherited from previous administrations.