Posted on 10/19/2002 12:05:01 PM PDT by chance33_98
Immigrant admits 1982 assassination Armenian helped in political killing of Turkish diplomat By Staff and Wire
To avoid the prospect of life in prison without parole, an Armenian immigrant on Friday admitted helping assassinate a Turkish diplomat in 1982, then renounced terrorism and was sentenced to 25 years to life.
In exchange, Los Angeles County prosecutors agreed not to go ahead with a retrial on a special-circumstance allegation against Hampig "Harry" Sassounian.
Sassounian will be eligible for parole Sept. 28, 2007, though prosecutors indicated they most likely will oppose any attempt he makes to be released.
Sassounian, now 39, had faced the prospect of a retrial on the special-circumstance allegation of killing because of national origin. Instead, he admitted his part in the Jan. 28, 1982, shooting death of Turkish Consul General Kemal Arikan.
A 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel affirmed Sassounian's conviction in the slaying, but cited jury misconduct in reversing the special-circumstance finding.
As part of his agreement with the prosecution, Sassounian read a statement:
"I participated in the murder of Kemal Arikan. I have been legally convicted of that crime. I renounce the use of terrorist tactics such as the assassination of diplomats to achieve political goals.
"I regret the suffering of the Arikan family. I understand and agree that I will not be eligible for parole until September 28, 2007."
Arikan, 54, died shortly after two armed men approached his car from both sides and fired several rounds that hit him in the head and chest.
A witness wrote down the gunmen's license plate number at the scene, leading police to Sassounian, who was at the time a 19-year-old security guard from Pasadena.
At trial, a jail-house informant testified that Sassounian told him he killed Arikan to "get revenge on what the Turkish people did to his people."
The Turks massacred more than a million Armenians from 1915 to 1918 in their historic homeland in eastern Turkey.
Deputy District Attorney Greg Dohi said after the hearing that he hoped Sassounian's statement will help close the door on a tragic period in Armenian-Turkish history.
Pat Dixon, acting head deputy of the District Attorney's Office's Major Crimes Division, signed the agreement along with Sassounian and defense attorney Mark Geragos. She called it "an appropriate disposition in this case."
"It was a very tragic situation that happened so many years ago, and we thought it was important because the defendant, Mr. Sassounian, for the very first time, admitted his involvement in this political assassination back in the 1980s," Dixon said after the hearing before Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Robert J. Perry.
Geragos said he thinks "today was the first time that (Sassounian has) ever been in a position where he could say anything."
Geragos said the decision has "been 18 years coming" and is a "vindication" for his father, Paul, who previously defended Sassounian.
Name-file alert.
Oh, yeah - this could be huge....
Name-file alert.
Mothers Armenian
Sure can namey-'em.
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