Tuesday, March 1, 2005

D.A. BROWN: LANDLORD PLEADS GUILTY TO MANSLAUGHTER IN BEATING DEATH OF TENANT; FACING 17 YEARS IN PRISON

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown announced today that a landlord in South Ozone Park, Queens has pled guilty to intentional manslaughter in the beating death of a 64-year-old woman who was a tenant in his home. He faces a determinate sentence of 17 years in prison.

District Attorney Brown said, “The defendant has admitted his guilt, waived appeal and accepted responsibility for the brutal beating death of an elderly woman. I hope the family of Mrs. Jiraji Hanuman, the victim, finds a measure of solace knowing that the killer of their loved one is to be sent to prison to serve a long sentence as punishment for his vicious crime.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Pakenauth Geer, 59, of 107-59 125th Street, South Ozone Park, Queens. The defendant pled guilty on February 28, 2005 to Manslaughter in the First Degree before Queens Supreme Court Justice Robert J. Hanophy who indicated that he would sentence the defendant on April 4, 2005 to a determinate term of 17 years in prison.

District Attorney Brown said that the defendant admitted that on November 24, 2001 at about 12:30 p.m. he repeatedly beat Jiraji Hanuman, 63, over the head with a stick, fatally injuring her. The defendant called 911 and was taken to the hospital for treatment after drinking a caustic substance in an apparent suicide attempt. The victim’s body was later discovered after the defendant wrote a note to his daughter that led to a police investigation.

Assistant District Attorneys Jack Warsawsky of the District Attorney’s Homicide Trials Bureau prosecuted the case under the supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Charles A. Testagrossa and Deputy Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Daniel A. Saunders.