4 The Courier sun • june 6, 2013 for breaking news visit www.couriersun.com WOMAN WHO KILLED COP HUSBAND FIGHTS SENTENCE BY TERENCE M. CULLEN tcullen@queenscourier.com Barbara Sheehan, who was acquitted of charges for fatally shooting her husband in 2008, has lost an appeal to have another charge revoked. She was sentenced in 2011 to five years in prison for criminal possession of a weapon and appealed the case before the latest ruling last week. Sheehan will also be under supervision for two-and-a-half years after she is released. Her legal team will now take the case to the New York Court of Appeals in hopes of getting the case thrown out or the sentence reduced. Sheehan shot her husband, Raymond, 11 times on February 18, 2008 after years of reported physical and verbal abuse from him. Raymond Sheehan was an NYPD sergeant. The charge for criminal possession of a weapon was for a 9-mm. Glock pistol Sheehan used on her husband — a Class C felony. Sheehan, who was protected under Jenna’s Law for the years of abuse, but faced anywhere from three-and-ahalf to 15 years in prison. “We are obviously disappointed with the decision of the appellate division,” said THE COURIER/File photo Nathaniel Marmur, Barbara Sheehan lost her appeal one of Sheehan’s to have a criminal possession of a lawyers. “But we weapon conviction dismissed. are hopeful the court of appeals will see the grave injustice ... that was done here and will review the case and reverse the conviction.” Marmur said his client was upset by the May 29 ruling, but that she was planning to pursue another court battle to get her freedom. “She was devastated, but she is a resilient woman as I think the trial showed,” he said. “And she is also looking forward to her ultimate vindication.” Marmur contended that the judge violated guidelines for evaluating the handgun possession charge on its own merits, and in fact allowed the dismissed shooting charge to bear on his sentencing. “It’s obviously a very strange situation,” he said. “On its face, it makes no sense. The law is stuck with this weird verdict that it doesn’t know what to do with.” District Attorney Richard Brown said considering that Sheehan was a first-time offender, her sentence was “appropriate and not excessive.” Neither Sheehan nor her trial attorney, Niall MacGiollabhui, returned messages requesting a comment. THE COURIER/Photo by Terence M. Cullen A gas explosion in a Howard Beach house severely burned a woman inside and destroyed much of the home. FDNY: Sandy fixes not behind house blast BY TERENCE M. CULLEN tcullen@queenscourier.com A gas explosion that destroyed a Howard Beach house last week was not caused by fixes from the city’s post-Sandy repair service, an FDNY spokesperson said. The May 29 blast sent resident Theresa Pepitone to New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center with severe burns. Witnesses said the burns took skin off of her face and scalp. Firefighters responded to the blast shortly after 2 p.m. and had to battle with flames caused by the gas. The home partially collapsed in the process, according Fire marshals are still investigating what exactly caused the gas line to go. Department of Buildings (DOB) has listed the home as unlivable. The center of the home was destroyed by the time the fire was extinguished. A gas furnace and a water heater had been replaced in the house through Rapid Repairs, according to a permit filed with DOB. It was approved less than a week earlier, on May 23. The blast rattled the neighborhood, and those who heard it quickly responded. Joseph Noll, who lives nearby on 85th Street, said he and a friend heard the explosion, adding it was like nothing they ever heard before. Noll said Pepitone came running out of the house, badly burned and apparently in complete shock. Noll and his friend tried comforting her, Noll assuring her help was on the way. “It wasn’t easy,” Noll said. “I just kept telling her help is going to be here.” City sets up federal fund for post-Sandy fixes BY TERENCE M. CULLEN tcullen@queenscourier.com Federal money is here. Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced a new plan to distribute $648 million for New Yorkers trying to rebuild more than seven months after Sandy. The Build it Back program offers four options for homeowners as the city shifts its focus to long-term repairs in the wake of the storm. Homeowners can use a city contractor to make minor or moderate repairs, rebuild their homes based on a city model, be reimbursed for out-of-pocket payments or sell their home to the city, which will then redevelop the site. Affected city residents can begin applying next month and will be contacted by a program specialist, Bloomberg announced. The city included homeowner reimbursements in the plan at the behest of elected officials, who made their case in April. Assemblymember Phillip Goldfeder, whose own home was damaged by Sandy, said he is hopeful the project will be a success. “I’m cautiously optimistic about the chances of this program’s success,” he said. “I’m very excited that the federal funding is going to be put to use. However, I want to make sure that the money goes to the families who need it most.” Councilmember Donovan Richards said the plan offered enough options for homeowners dealing with damages, and ensures the money will go to the right people. “With the thousands of different situations people find themselves in, we need a variety of resources,” he said in a statement. “There is no one fix for every situation. This is why I am very happy about the new Build it Back program. I believe this is a big step in the right direction of a comprehensive recovery effort.” Garden Center • Seasonal Decor Landscaping • Irrigation 125 Crossbay Blvd. • Broad Channel to Deputy Fire Chief Robert Maynes. Maynes said National Grid workers were able to stop gas flow to the home, which helped efforts to extinguish the fire. No one else was injured in the blast, but a pet German shepherd inside suffered minor injuries, Maynes added. at the root of all your garden needs. 718.855.543.NURSERY (6877)
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