By Mary Malloy
Bill A.11758 was introduced as a response to the 2002 shooting of the Rev. Larry Penzes of Our Lady of Peace Church in Lynbrook. The bill was co-sponsored by Barra and 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 2002, Penzes, 50, and Eileen Tosner, 73, were killed in the shootings. Witnesses said the priest had just finished giving the homily when he was gunned down. After fleeing the church, the gunman, Peter Troy, 34, barricaded himself in his nearby apartment for seven hours. The gunman's standoff with police ended when six to eight police officers stormed his home.
Troy was arrested after lunging at police with a folding knife, attempting to stab them, officials said. He was charged with two counts of second-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. At his trial, Judge Daniel J. Cotter sentenced Troy to two life sentence terms for the murders and a minimum of 25 years for the attempted murder of a police officer involved in his 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 had a history of mental illness and was therefore barred by federal law from buying guns, a mandatory background check cleared him to purchase the gun. Troy had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and spent time in a mental institution.
The new legislation amends the penal law to make records from the Department of Mental Hygiene available for two purposes: the background check for a handgun license and the federal background check when an individual seeks to purchase a gun. The intent of the legislation is to protect individuals who suffer from mental instability from hurting themselves or others.
"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.
