Teens Who Killed Sleeping Man Sentenced To 20, 22 Years

David Kao

Two teens who killed a Chinese newspaper executive who was sleeping in his car in 2009 were sentenced to 20 and 22 years in prison. Corey Azor, who was 16 at the time of the killing, and Chris Levy, who was 17 at the time, admitted they went into the car, put David Kao into a chokehold, and then dragged the 49-year-old into the backseat where they strangled him. They pleaded guilty for manslaughter and robbery; Azor got 20 years, while Levy got 22 years.

The pair, who had initially been charged with murder, said it was a botched carjacking and that Kao, who was marketing executive for The World Journal, a Chinese newspaper, was never meant to be killed. But that was little comfort to Kao's relatives, including his niece who said he raised her after her father died. Christine Chu, 29, said in a Queens courtroom, "The thought of writing this impact statement made me sick to my stomach, because how can you describe the impact of losing my uncle?... [He] was always just a phone call away when I needed him."

According to the NY Times, "When offered a chance to speak after Ms. Chu’s statement, Mr. Levy turned and, appearing to smirk, briefly faced the Kao family. 'I apologize to the family,' he said. 'Thanks to my family for standing by my side.'" Azor said, "After hearing the speech, there is nothing I can say to take up for the loss or take away the pain of the family."

Before the sentencing, Levy's lawyer Robert Weinstein criticized his client's proposed sentence, and started to tell the court, "He didn't intentionally kill Mr. Kao, no weapons were involved. Kao was severely intoxicated...," prompting Justice Gregory Lasak to ask, "Before you go any further, do you want to go to trial?... He faces 50 years. Do you want to go to trial?" Weinstein stopped. Lasak later told Azor and Levy, "There is no winners here in this courtroom, only losers. You two will probably lose the best years of your lives in prison."

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By Jen Chung in News on March 3, 2011 12:20 PM

Comments [rss]

Rocknrope

The only solace this sentence provides me is the thought that, given the age of these two scumbags, they will immediately become someone's bitches in the joint and that their teen asses will be raped methodically over the next several years. 20-22 years is hardly enough, but these two will be in a world of hurt.

GothamExtremist

Do you know how much it will cost to provide room and board and meals and TV and free medical care to these two in those 20 years? Wheres the gas chamber when you need it?

Bernie_Geotz_Squirrel_Luv

They'll be out before they're 40.
Where do they live? Maybe someone can encourage them to scrap this deal and go to trial?

Jen Chung

Ironic in a hipster kind of way? I don't know.

Anyway, I fixed the typo (constructive criticism is appreciated!) and would rather focus people on the horror of this crime: Two kids—16 and 17—killed a man in a brutal, violent way during a robbery. A tragedy for the victim's family and these kids' families.

steppeone

That was mean, i'm sorry. I just got back from the post office, you know what that place can do to you.

How does the fact that Kao was intoxicated make any difference? I hope prison is worse than it sounds.

winning1234

Love the misuse of the word "ironic". These animals should have been put away for more than ~20 years.

diablofreak

they got 20 years because they wanted them to plead guilty, foregoing a trial. this is probably part of a plea bargain from the prosecutors' office.

like the judge said, a trial would land them 50 years or something similar, which is what they deserve.