FROM: HOLLEY CARNRIGHT
DATE: AUGUST 7, 2017
RE: PRESS RELASE – SARRA GILBERT
Sarra Gilbert, age 28, of Ellenville, New York, was sentenced on August 4, 2017 in Ulster County Court to 25 years to life in prison.
Following a trial lasting over 10 days, the jury of 8 women and 4 men deliberated for about six hours and returned a verdict convicting Sarra Gilbert for murder in the second degree for the stabbing, bludgeoning death of Sarra’s mother. At trial the defendant raised the defense of not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. When the judge inquired at the request of defense counsel whether the jury had, in fact, considered Sarra Gilbert’s defense of insanity, each juror responded that the defense had been considered and rejected.
Over objection by Sarra’s attorney at the time of sentencing, Sr. Assistant District Attorney Emmanuel Nneji read into the record in open court the Victim Impact Statement of Stevie Smith, the youngest child of Mari Gilbert. In it, Stevie spoke about the impact of Sarra’s crime on her and asked the court not to allow Sarra to get out again because she remains in fear that Sarra would kill her if she had the opportunity. The prosecutor recommended the maximum sentence.
In his comments to the court John Ray, Gilbert’s attorney, blamed the victim, Sarra’s mother for her problems.
In imposing the maximum sentence, the court noted attorney Ray’s comments made after the verdict that his client would kill again.
