Sayfullo Saipov's grandfather gives emotional testimony as defense argues against death penalty
NEW YORK -- The jury heard more testimony Friday from the family of Sayfullo Saipov in the penalty phase of his trial.
They traveled here from Uzbekistan as the defense argues for life behind bars, not the death penalty.
Saipov was convicted in January of murdering eight people and injuring a dozen others on the West Side of Manhattan in the name of ISIS in 2017.
READ MORE: Jury finds Sayfullo Saipov guilty on all counts in 2017 West Side bike path attack
Sobit Saipov told the court Friday that when he came to visit his grandson in the United States he became "worried by the change of his look," explaining the long beard he grew seemed suspicious.
When asked, Sayfullo Saipov told his grandfather "he was growing his beard to look older."
The 85-year-old became emotional when asked if he ever thought the real reason behind it would lead to murder.
"Who would imagine that kind of thing? That person raised by me would do that?" Sobit Saipov said.
On Halloween 2017, Sayfullo Saipov rented a truck and sped down the West Side bike path, killing eight people and injuring a dozen before crashing into a school bus and being shot by police as he waved around fake guns.
He did this, he said, in support of the terror organization ISIS, and though he has not shown remorse, his family has repeatedly apologized in court over the past two days.
His grandfather said, "This crime, this horrible tragedy shook the world and I feel very sorry about that ... He did it alone by the effect of ideology from outside."
The family is Muslim but says while he was growing up, they could not practice religion freely in Uzbekistan and that Sayfullo was not knowledgeable about Islam.
His lawyers are trying to show that ISIS targets people from Uzbekistan for that reason, claiming Sayfullo had no basic knowledge to challenge the extremist propaganda he was consuming.
READ MORE: Defense argues for life in prison in penalty phase trial of Sayfullo Saipov
His family is pleading for a life sentence in order to give Sayfullo time to realize what he did.
One of his uncles took the stand Thursday, saying Sayfullo had changed due to being "influenced by bad people" but hoped he "will get back to himself."
When asked why he came all the way from Uzbekistan to New York, knowing his grandson committed this crime, his grandfather said through tears, "He is my child. My blood is circling in his body. I love him. I came here so it would be easier for his parents as well."
READ MORE: Survivors, families of victims testify during penalty phase of Sayfullo Saipov trial
The family left the courthouse Friday and will go back to Uzbekistan, his father acknowledging Thursday that was likely the last time he'd see his son in person ever again.
There is no court Monday. The defense will call its next and likely final witness Tuesday.
From there, the prosecution will have a brief rebuttal case.
