Heartbreaking testimonies poured in from victims of Sayfullo Saipov’s 2017 ISIS-inspired terrorist attack before he was sentenced to eight consecutive life sentences Wednesday—one for each of the eight people he killed with a truck in New York City. Monica Missio, who lost her son Nicholas Cleves, told the court that she had “nothing but contempt” for Saipov. “I am haunted by the brutal way Nicholas died,” she said. Marion Van Reeth, who lost both legs in the attack and was paralyzed from the waist down, said through tears, “Are you still convinced that your cruel act against innocent people was the right thing? Do you still see yourself as a soldier for ISIS?” Gabriela Pabla Pereya, the wife of slain victim Ariel Erliji, perhaps hit Saipov the hardest, though. “Your God thinks you’re a coward because you didn’t kill yourself,” she said. “And if you want them to accept you and love you, go kill yourself.” Saipov, a native of Uzbekistan, dodged the death penalty after jurors agreed to sentence him to life in prison with no possibility of release.
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