Man Sentenced To Life in Slaying Of Detectives
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Marlon Legere will spend the rest of his life in prison for slaying two police detectives in 2004.
The sentence, which Justice Anne Feldman of the New York State Supreme Court handed down yesterday, was the most severe available. But police officers waiting to enter the courtroom were overheard saying they wished the state’s Court of Appeals had not struck down the death penalty months before Legere, 30, killed Detectives Robert Parker and Patrick Rafferty.
Before delivering her sentence, Justice Feldman said to Legere: “I don’t think you have shown any sort of remorse at all.”
In addition to two life sentences without the possibility of parole, she sentenced Legere to 25 years for robbery and to a single year for criminal mischief.
Prior to his sentencing, Legere reminded the packed courtroom that the chronology of his murderous actions two years ago will ultimately remain a mystery.
“Basically, this trial was a one-sided affair,” Legere said. “I’m not an angel. But I’m not a killer.”
In finding Legere guilty on February 2 of two counts of first-degree murder, a jury decided Legere knew the two detectives were police officers when he shot them with a gun he seized from one of them. Yesterday, Legere maintained, as his defense had argued during the trial, that he did not know the two men were police officers.
The two detectives were killed in East Flatbush as they confronted Legere at the request of his mother, who objected to his use of her car.
Representatives for the families and friends of the slain officers called on Justice Feldman to ensure that Legere never leaves prison.
Those appeals, made by Dawn Stewart-Riles, a god-sister of Parker, and by Brian Rafferty, a brother of Rafferty, also expressed the pain felt by many at the deaths of the two, which occurred on September 10, 2004.
“Most kids get to have their dads say goodnight to them,” Mr. Rafferty said, as he read a statement by his deceased brother’s 11-year old son, Kevin. “Well, now I say my prayers and say goodnight to a picture frame.”
Mr. Rafferty continued, addressing Legere: “The very air you breathe rightfully belongs to Detective Patrick Rafferty and his partner, Robert Parker. You will remember that with each and every breath, until you take your last.”
