Fatal Fight Leaves Family of Grandpa Angry at Light Sentence

The Brooklyn man who last spring struck a 73-year-old man in an altercation that would eventually prove fatal has gotten off merely with a sentence forcing him to go to anger management counseling. 29-year-old Ernest Cappello was only charged with misdemeanor assault for taking down Maris Veyberman after Cappello's girlfriend claimed that the Russian immigrant had groped her. Authorities believed Cappello's remorseful story that he had no intention of hurting the old man, but Veyberman's family is enraged due to some accounts of the incident. One neighbor told the News, "He punched two to three times. We were all screaming at him, 'Call the cops, call the cops.' The old man, he never expected anything. After the guy went down he gave him a kick with his foot and said, 'Piece of shit' and took off in his car." Cappello's lawyer said, "This is the worst thing that ever happened to him."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Billy Parker in News on November 30, 2008 1:33 PM

Comments [rss]

jessecal

The family should sue the culprit in civil court for the wrongful death to the senior.

Also- I think there is a law against the mistreatment of senior citizens. Keep this guy in court for the next 10-15 years on this issue!

r1b2

The jurors and lawyers and judge in this case should all be ashamed. They probably will have difficulty with relationships and suffer from ED over the guilt they feel for this farce of failed justice. This turd killed a man; he should be in jail and be some lifer's wife.

r1b2

The jurors and lawyers and judge in this case should all be ashamed. They probably will have difficulty with relationships and suffer from ED over the guilt they feel for this farce of failed justice. This turd killed a man; he should be in jail and be some lifers wife.

FelixtheCat & Christine Quinn'

man got off easy, at least some jail sentence and probation. he pick a fight with an old man. what a coward

Bubba

Cappello's lawyer said, "This is the worst thing that ever happened to him."

Actually, getting off with no jail time is the best thing that's ever happened to Cappello.

NannyState

Teach Capello "anger management" in the gas chamber.

just saying

"He [Cappello] punched two to three times," said neighbor Allan Pulchik. "We were all screaming at him, 'Call the cops, call the cops.' The old man, he never expected anything. After the guy went down he gave him a kick with his foot and said, 'Piece of s---' and took off in his car...."

Yeah, Capello only got a slap on the wrist. I wouldn't be surprised if he has a rap sheet.

JacqueMehoff

again a guido confrontation over a girl.

they're the unsung heroes of chivalry.

Billiamsburg

old people die so easy it's hard to hold someone else accountable for one of them dropping off at a light breeze.

Spirit of 76

[2] Oh, shut your barrYAP. You don't even know if that actually happened and even if it did, since when is groping punishable by death? She could have slapped the old man, screamed at him, humiliated him in public and that could have been the end of it. I'm thinking you need to share a cell with Miladin Kovacevic.