Saifullo Saipov is set to receive a life sentence after the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict on the death penalty. The information comes from authorities in the Southern District of New York, as reported by TASS.
On Monday, March 13, jurors failed to agree on capital punishment for Saipov, the man who carried out a deadly attack in New York in 2017. An Uzbekistani national drove a pickup truck into a bike lane, killing eight people and injuring more than ten others. Saipov later stated that the act was carried out under the influence of the Islamic State and its ideology, a designation that has impacted legal and political responses in multiple jurisdictions.
Following the trial, Saipov will be sentenced to life in prison. In January 2023, a jury found him guilty on 28 counts, and jurors weighed the death penalty with serious consideration. It was noted by state officials that New York has not carried out a death sentence in more than five decades. The 2017 attack marked the city’s most significant terrorist incident since the post–September 11 era, underscoring the enduring concerns about domestic extremism and public safety.
Because jurors could not reach a consensus on a death sentence, the option of imposing capital punishment was rendered inoperative. Under the applicable law, the sentence will be commuted to life imprisonment, and the judge will announce the final outcome based on the jury’s recommendation and statutory guidelines. The proceedings leave room for no further modifications to the sentence in subsequent criminal actions, meaning the court will proceed with the agreed life term as the formal result of the case.
Details from the case show that Saipov faced terrorism charges in a New York state court, including accusations of financially supporting the Islamic State, harming victims with the vehicle, and destroying property. Investigators noted that the accused prepared for the attack by repeatedly renting the truck used in the incident to become familiar with handling the vehicle and the environment in which the act occurred. The charges reflect the breadth of the federal and state-level actions taken in response to the incident and highlight ongoing efforts to deter similar attacks in major urban centers.
Experts emphasize that the outcome underscores the tension between different legal standards and the long-standing history of the death penalty within the region. The decision to impose life imprisonment aligns with legal constraints and the jury’s inability to reach a unanimous verdict on execution, ensuring that accountability and justice through imprisonment remain the central response to the violence of the attack.