The widow of a New Jersey man who was killed during an argument in 2018 forcefully condemned the defendant who fatally stabbed her husband in the neck, calling the killer a “piece of shit” and telling him, “I hope you rot in hell.”
The outburst came during the virtual sentencing hearing on Thursday for defendant Knowledge B. Allah, 56, who in April pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter in the death of Salah Ali, 57. The Asbury Park Press obtained video of the intense hearing, which you can watch in the player above.
Ali’s widow, Donna Ali, watched as Superior Court Judge Marc C. LeMieux allowed Allah to speak on his own behalf, calling the man he killed a “friend” and “brother.”
“I’d like to apologize for my actions and my criminal behavior that cost this man his life,” Allah said. “I know that he’ll never get to see his daughter or his granddaughter or prosper in life […] and it was my criminal behavior that caused this to happen.”
When it was her turn to speak to the court, Donna Ali did not mince words, making it clear that Allah’s words in no way mitigated her anger.
“You really hurt us, my family is so broken because of what you did. He was a good person. He looked out for everybody and you know that. Why are you so crazy to do something like that to my family,” she said through tears, her voice shaking. “We will never ever be the same again. I hope you rot in hell, you understand me? I hate your guts because it was not necessary to take that man’s life. At all. You are a piece of shit on my shoe, I swear.”
She immediately apologized to the judge for cursing, then continued to verbally pummel her husband’s killer.
“I’ve been with that man for 43 years,” Ali shouted. “I hope you drop dead and I hope he haunts you at night. I hope he comes in your room and haunts you until you’re gone. And I hope you come out in a body bag. I hate you.”
Ali’s body was found in a pool of blood in the staircase of a low income housing apartment complex in Asbury Park, NJ.com reported at the time. According to the report, police said the men were “grabbing each other” when Allah suddenly stabbed Ali in the neck with a knife.
“The victim, still standing, asked why the defendant did that to him and stated he was dying,” the police report said.
Salah Ali then fell over onto a couch. Knowledge Allah dragged him out of the apartment and into the stairwell before cleaning up the trail of blood left on the floor, according to the report.
NJ.com additionally reported that the defendant had a lengthy criminal history, being convicted on manslaughter and weapons charges in 1987, and pleading guilty to attempted murder and weapons charges in 1998. Allah also pleaded guilty to weapons charges in 2009 and 2017.
Judge LeMieux took that into account in sentencing Allah to 15 years in prison.
“The only thing that has slowed him down was his time being incarcerated,” LeMieux said. “Mr. Allah has spent a lifetime of being in and out of jail starting from 1975.”
According to the Asbury Park Press, Allah is required to serve at least 12 years and 10 months before he can be eligible for parole. He had already accumulated 1,108 days of time served credit since he was arrested for Ali’s death.
[image via YouTube]
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