Queens, NY – A 47-year-old Queens man convicted of mugging of three women, one of whom was 101 years old, has been sentenced to 75 years in prison.
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Jack Rhodes of East Elmhurst was convicted in October of first-degree burglary, first- and second-degree robbery in the 2007 attacks.
“The defendant’s disturbingly, cowardly attacks on elderly and defenseless women – two of who needed the aid of a walker to get around – has rightfully cost him his future,” District Attorney Richard Brown said.
The jury found the muggings to be hate crimes under the provisions of New York State’s Hate Crimes Act of 2000 under which enhanced charges can be filed when a defendant is alleged to have selected his or her victim because of their disability and/or age which is defined as being 60 years of age or older.
Just prior to sentencing, prosecutors read a victim impact statement into the court record from one of the victims, 103-year-old Rose Morat.
Video captures man mugging 101-year-old lady.
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“Leaving my apartment (Rhodes) attacked, injured my face with a severe blow that broke my cheekbone,” she wrote. “He continued hitting me several more times and left me in a pool of blood and (I) had to be taken to the hospital. Atrocities done frequently by the man Jack Rhodes must be stopped … so that this will never happen again to other good people and life once again can be enjoyed without fear.”
A half-hour after he robbed and beat Morat, Rhodes attacked 85-year-old Solange Elizee, who also uses a walker. As she exited the elevator of her building alone on her floor and entered her apartment, Rhodes blocked the door from closing and forced his way inside. Once inside, the defendant repeatedly punched Elizee in the face and robbed her.
Queens Supreme Court Justice Gregory Lasak sentenced Rhodes to the 75 year prison term, telling him “That comes out to about a year for every dollar you took from those people.” Rhodes netted just $78 and two rings in the three muggings.
That’s what he deserves…..
boruch she’ptarany! good riddance to such garbage
Our great grandchildren’s tax money will have to support this garbage, if he lives 2/3 of the sentance.
I say no life left, why not just off with his head.
as disgusting as the act was, i believe the sentence will be overturned on appeal. the very notion of “hate crime” sentencing enhancement has been severely limited by the Supreme Court’s ‘Apprendi’ decision.
If Bernie got 150 years, this guy should get at least 300!
Why in the world should he get such a harsh sentence, after all he did not launder money, didn’t commit wire fraud or tax evasion, all he did was aggrevated assault, vicious robbery, intrusion, brutality, abuse of elderly people etc. and as we all know that murderers rapists and robbers get away with a slap on the wrist, the harsh punishments are reserved only for horrible crimes as tax evasion etc…
They’ve got an internal moral code and retribution system in prison.
Kid killers and abusers are the most hated and often never finish their prison terms.
Attackers on the elderly are also hated.
They’re gonna get him in prison. Just watch.
I know that he did a bad thing but I don’t think he deserves 75 years I think its to much . Because he did this he should be locked up ???
75 years??? Are you kidding? I understand that he did a ugly crime but come on. I would have given him 18 months, that’s enough of a lesson
I agree with Loshon Hora (#3). Anyone who gets a life sentence should be executed. And no expensive injections or electric chairs.
Just a simple guillotine will do it. Robespierre, anybody?
LOL – A long prison sentence IS NOT A PUNISHMENT for me
That is what I want!
I KNEW I would be caught. I made sure to do my crimes in a manner sure to give me a nice, long sentence
I just wanted out of the rat race. I was tired of trying to earn a living, paying rent, medical insurance, having relationships or trying to make marriages work, keeping jobs, paying for car payment, insurance payments, etc
My thoughts were something like:
I will rob a couple of totally helpless old ladies, in a nasty manner, to make sure they have no sympathy for me
Then I will get a good part of my life, if not all of it, taken care of from now on. I will get
Free Rent
Free Food
Free Clothing
I will have
No more car payments
No more landlords knocking at my door
No more meter maids giving me crazy tickets
No more having to shop, cook, or work
No bosses yelling at me
No more crazy women putting me down
With free room and board, and clothing for the rest of my life, I will happily put up with the few nasty prison guards, and it is even worth getting beat up a time or two.
Actually, I will likely be watched and protected, since they will KNOW I will be a target when I first arrive. THANK You 🙂