Paris D. Hart IV gets 15 to life. He had killed his grandmother and hid remains behind a garage.
Regina Cohen directed some angry comments at her nephew, Paris D. Hart IV, accusing him of murdering someone he was supposed to love and respect.Syracuse, NY - Anger and sorrow bubbled over in Onondaga County Court this morning as a Syracuse man was sentenced to 15 years to life in state prison for murdering his grandmother.
Paris D. Hart IV had nothing to say, simply bowing his head as his aunt tearfully described the trauma of losing her mother to violence. He also never looked up as the prosecutor read a brief letter in which the defendant’s father called him “selfish” and noted it may be a very long time before he can find it possible to forgive his son.
Hart, 20, of 602 Mountainview Ave., pleaded guilty June 9 to second-degree murder in the death of 67-year-old Nanette Hart.
The prosecution said Hart struck his grandmother during an argument in the home they shared after which he suffocated her by placing a plastic bag over her head and strangled her. He then wrapped her body in black garbage bags and disposed of the remains behind the garage of a rental property the victim owned at 421 Westmoreland Ave.
Authorities said the murder occurred sometime between Nov. 30 and Dec. 2. The victim’s body was found Dec. 3.
The victim’s daughter, Regina Cohen of California, directed some angry comments at her nephew, accusing him of murdering someone he was supposed to love and respect. But she noted the defendant had long taken advantage of his grandmother as she took him into her house, provided him a place to live, fed him and made sure he got rides to and from work and school.
“Too often he had taken her for granted,” Cohen said.
When she noted she was now without her mother because of the defendant’s “selfish desires,” someone from the group of relatives in the courtroom yelled out it was due to the defendant being “stupid.”
Cohen tearfully described what the loss meant to her and her family, noting she had planned to ask her mother to come live with her in California when Cohen’s husband retires from the military. She also said visits to Syracuse will never be the same again without her mother her as the nucleus of the family.
“No one can take her place. I miss her and a Love her,” Cohen said.
Several times during her comments to the court, Cohen broke down sobbing and had to take several moments to compose herself before continuing. First Chief Assistant District Attorney Rick Trunfio and Assistant District Attorney Michael Kasmarek stood on either side of her as she spoke.
Trunfio then read a brief statement from Paris Hart III, the son of the victim and the father of the defendant. The elder Hart referred to his son as a “coward” before referring to a Bible passage in which Jesus, asked by one of the apostles how many times a person should forgive another person, answered that one should forgive another 70 times seven times.
In his letter to the court, the elder Hart noted it would probably take him that long to find it in himself to forgive his son. But he said he would probably have to do it eventually in order to rejoin his own mother “on the other side.”
Trunfio then told Fahey he hopes the state parole board takes under consideration the family pain as reflected in the sentencing minutes when Hart comes up for parole consideration in 15 years.
Regina Cohenspeaks during sentencing today of her nephew, Paris D. Hart IV. Fahey noted all the information provided to the court indicated Hart had exploited and used his grandmother before he ultimately took her life and deprived her family of the compassionate person she was.
He then imposed the minimum penalty of 15 years to life in state prison as agreed to when Hart pleaded guilty to murder.
“As far as I’m concerned, they can keep you to the very end of that sentence,” the judge added.
Defense lawyer Francis Walter offered an apology to the family for his client. He also somberly noted his client would welcome his father’s forgiveness.
“He understands that may be a long time coming,” the lawyer added.
Walter also noted the defendant’s conduct had created a “family rift as big as the Grand Canyon.”
That rift was clearly apparent with the defendant’s mother present in support of her son in a courtroom surrounded by members of the victim’s immediate family.
Anger appeared about to erupt in violence when one of the victim’s other sons began yelling obscenities at the defendant’s mother as the spectators began leaving the courtroom. Court security officers quickly moved in to keep the two factions apart and to move the groups out of the courtroom.
After quiet was restored, Hart’s mother said she wanted the Hart family to know she and her relatives were sorry about what happened. She also said she had come to court to support her son.
“I will always be there to support him,” Bernadette Pitman said. She quickly added she doesn’t understand or condone what her son did, but hopes one day to learn the truth of what happened.
She also said she hopes her son uses his time in prison to reflect on what he did.