By Mary Malloy
The bill was cosponsored by Assemblyman Barra with the sponsorship of Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos.
"This legislation is critical to the safety of families in our district and across the state, Barra said. "I am grateful to Dean Skelos for his sponsorship of this legislation as well as my colleagues in the Assembly. This legislation has been six years in the making and I am proud to finally see it pass in both the Assembly and the Senate."
In March of 2002, The Rev. Lawrence Penzes, 50, and Eileen Tosner, 73, were killed in the shootings, which occurred shortly after 9 a.m. Witnesses said the priest had just finished reading the homily when he was gunned down. After fleeing the church, the gunman, Peter Troy, 34, barricaded himself in his nearby apartment for the next seven hours. The gunman's standoff with police ended when six to eight police officers stormed the suspect's home, where he was holed up inside.
Troy was arrested after lunging at police with a folding-knife, attempting to stab them, officials said. He was charged with two counts of murder in the second degree, and one count of attempted murder. After his trial, Judge Daniel J. Cotter gave him two life sentences for the murders and a minimum of 25 years for the attempted murder of a police officer involved in Troy's capture.
According to Nassau County investigators, Troy bought a .22 caliber rifle from a Mineola gun shop only days before the murders were committed. Though he has a history of mental illness and is therefore barred by federal law from buying guns, a mandatory background check cleared him to purchase the gun. Prior to his arrest, Troy was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and had also spent time in a mental institution.
The new legislation amends the penal law to provide that records of the Department of Mental Hygiene will be available for two purposes: the background check for a handgun license and the federal background check when an individual seeks to purchase a gun. This legislation seeks to protect individuals who suffer from mental instability from hurting themselves or those around them.
"The safety of our citizens should always be among our top priorities," said Barra. "I hope Father Larry is proud to see that something is being done to prevent any future senseless loss of life."
Comments about this story? Mmalloy@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 202.
