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Campus killer avoids death penalty, family of victim satisfied |
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Tuesday, 24 January 2006 |
The family of the only person killed in a 2003 campus shooting rampage is satisfied that the killer, spared the death penalty, will serve out his life in prison, two brothers of the victim said Monday.
If hes locked up and not able to go out and hurt anyone else, thats fine with us. As long as he cant do it again, said Brian Wallace, 31, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
His brother, Norman Wallace, 30, of Youngstown, was killed by Biswanath Halder, now 65, in a 7 1/2-hour rampage inside the business school on campus.
Another brother, David Wallace, 38, of Columbus, said the family hadnt focused on a possible death penalty recommendation from the jury. Theres nothing thats going to bring Norman back, he said in a separate phone interview.
I believe that as long as hes off the street were satisfied with the jurys recommendation, David Wallace said.
Halder was upset that a hacker had wrecked his Web site meant to help business entrepreneurs from India. He believed a school computer laboratory employee was responsible. Wallace, who encountered Halder shortly after Halder attacked the business school, had never met Halder.
In a news conference Monday inside Cuyahoga County Jail, Halder said he firmly believes others are responsible for Wallaces murder.
When the power is evil, innocent people suffer, Halder said. Norman Wallace is dead because the power is evil. Norm paid the price because of some criminal acts of some power brokers at Case Western Reserve University.
Asked if he was crazy, Halder replied, Not at all.
One of the wounded survivors, Susan Helper, 48, said she was glad the jury had skipped the death sentence option.
I think that vengeance, the culture of vengeance, is not the way to respond to something like this, the Case Western Reserve University economics professor said from her sabbatical assignment in Berkeley, Calif.
Helper suffered a chest wound and said she still fears for her personal safety at times. She testified at the trial but didnt not stay around to listen to any testimony.
Judge Peggy Foley Jones must decide whether to accept the jurys recommendation or impose a less severe punishment but cannot sentence Halder to death. She scheduled sentencing for Feb. 17.
Halder, a native of Calcutta, India, was convicted on 196 counts for killing Wallace, a Case graduate student, and wounding two others.
The SWAT team responding to the standoff was hampered by the Peter B. Lewis buildings unusual design of curvy floors and walls. Halder was captured on the fifth floor.
Prosecutors said they still were determining whether to file charges against whoever hacked into Halders Web site. The Wallace brothers said they werent sure whether the hacker should be charged.
I think the whole thing shouldnt have happened. Its a big spiral that got out of control, Brian Wallace said.
David Wallace said the family wanted to know more about how Case reacted when it became known that Halder had an issue with Case and intended to take action against them. He declined to comment on the possibility of the family filing a civil lawsuit.
Jeff Bendix, a Case spokesman, said there would be no immediate university comment on Cases handling of the situation.
Lara Kalafatis, a university vice president, said Case hoped the sentencing of Halder would help healing.
While the pain of this incident will never completely fade, we hope the jury and judges final decisions in this matter helps in the healing process and brings some level of peace to the university community and those who have been affected, she said.
Psychologists had testified that Halder is sane but delusional, and his attorneys argued that his life should be spared because he is mentally ill. Defense attorneys acknowledged he was the gunman.
Were just happy they (jurors) fell on the side of giving him life, defense attorney Kevin Cafferkey said. But he will serve the rest of life in prison, and will never, ever leave a jail cell and I feel comfortable with that.
Halder, who got the judges approval to get a wig for the trial, didnt testify. |
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