Judge Offers Ariel Russo's Alleged Killer Lighter Sentence In Exchange For Guilty Plea
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A judge gave a teenager accused of striking and killing a 4-year-old girl with an SUV an ultimatum Wednesday: Plead guilty within 45 days or face trial -- and the likelihood of a tougher sentence.
Judge Gregory Carro told Franklin Reyes Jr. he would sentence him to three to nine years in prison if he pleaded guilty in the June 2013 death of Ariel Russo, WCBS 880's Irene Cornell reported.
Ariel's mother, Sophia Russo, is holding out hope for a longer sentence.
"It's dangerous for him to be on the streets because he did what he did to Ariel," she said. "Then he got back in the car. He hurt a police officer. He lied about it. He tried to run away again. It's dangerous for him to be out on the streets."
The judge's offer of three to nine years brought angry shrieks from the defendant's mother who screamed: "It's not fair! Where's justice? He was just 17!"
Five court officers removed her from the courtroom. She made a similar outburst -- and was escorted out of court -- in August.
Reyes is accused of fatally running down Ariel while fleeing from police on the Upper West Side.
Ariel died after the SUV jumped a curb on Amsterdam Avenue at 97th Street while she was walking to school with her grandmother, who survived.
In September, Reyes was arrested again after allegedly dragging and injuring a police officer during a traffic stop.
While jailed days later, the teen complained of chest pains. After being cleared to leave the emergency room, he reportedly ran from authorities while being led back to a Department of Corrections van. He was apprehended 15 minutes later.
He and his father were also charged in June with looting an apartment where the father worked as the superintendent, putting a possible plea deal in jeopardy.
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