April 12, 2000

"SLEEPWALKING" DEFENDANT SENTENCED TO MAXIMUM TERM FOR ATTEMPTING TO MURDER HIS WIFE

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown announced today that a Flushing man convicted of attempting to murder his estranged wife three years ago was sentenced to 12½ to 25 years in prison. At trial he claimed that he was sleepwalking at the time and therefore not responsible for his actions.

District Attorney Brown identified the defendant as Robert Bedford, 50, of Flushing. He was convicted of attempted murder, assault, and criminal possession of a weapon after a two week jury trial before Supreme Court Justice Arthur Cooperman who imposed the maximum sentence today.

According to District Attorney Brown on January 14, 1997 at about 7a.m. the defendant placed a pump action 20 gauge shotgun that he owned inside a cardboard carton and left his house with the weapon. He walked three blocks from his house to that of his estranged wife and waited for her to emerge on her way to work. When the victim left the house the defendant took the shotgun out of the carton and fired. The victim saw him and was shot in the buttocks as she ran back into the house. She was hit by over 100 buckshot pellets and staggered into the house. The defendant dropped the weapon and fled eluding police for 3 months until he was found and arrested in Orlando, Florida on April 3, 1997.

District Attorney Brown said, "During the course of the trial the defendant claimed to have been sleepwalking at the time of the shooting and argued that therefore he could not form the requisite intent to be responsible for the crime. The jury wisely rejected that contention and found him guilty as charged."

Assistant District Attorney Laurie M. Israel of the District Attorney's Special Victims Bureau which is under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Marjory D. Fisher and the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney Gregory L. Lasak prosecuted the case.