Beer sentenced to 5-15 years in jail

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Judge David Sullivan today sentenced Joseph Beer to 5-15 years in jail, denying him youthful offender status for a high speed drive which killed four of his friends near the Malverne exit of the Southern State Parkway two years ago. Beer admitted to smoking marijuana prior to the crash.

Beer has already served two years in jail and is eligible for parole in three years. Last month, Beer pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide in Nassau County Court.

While family and friends of the four slain young men fought back tears and held each other, Todd Greenberg, Beer’s lawyer, said, “From day one, Joseph has shown extreme remorse. He never denied his actions in this case and accepted responsibility for his actions.”

The family and friends of those slain did not agree.

Bryant Barr, who identified himself as the stepfather of Peter Kanhai, who was killed in the crash, said at a press conference this morning, “I’m glad the judge was able to look through the statements that were made and see that there was a lack of remorse.”

Sharon Rajapa, mother of Neal Rajapa, also killed in the crash, said that her son's death was "like a bullet to the heart" and that her life hasn’t been the same. “There was no remorse here,” she said.

Greenberg told reporters after the sentencing that although there was speeding and marijuana involved, the Southern State Parkway contributed greatly to the tragedy. The parkway has been the focus of increasingly public scrutiny over the past several years due to what many categorize as sudden turns, narrow lanes, and short exit and entrance ramps to name a few. Last week, five people were killed on the Southern State Parkway when a car driven by a 37-year-old Brooklyn woman veered off the road near exit 38, crashed into a tree and exploded into flames. The crash killed her, her three children, and the children’s grandmother.

Maureen McCormick, chief of the Nassau district attorney's Vehicular Crimes Bureau, said, “if you are old enough to drive, you should be old enough to face criminal charges.” Ms. McCormick added that vehicular crimes should be categorized as violent crimes.