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US pair jailed for killing Briton | US pair jailed for killing Briton |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Two Americans have been jailed for robbing and murdering an aspiring British politician in Washington DC. | |
Alan Senitt, 27, from Pinner, north-west London, was stabbed in the chest and had his throat slit in the city's Georgetown area last July. | |
Christopher Piper, 26, and Jeffrey Rice, 23, admitted both charges at the District of Columbia Superior Court. | Christopher Piper, 26, and Jeffrey Rice, 23, admitted both charges at the District of Columbia Superior Court. |
Rice was sentenced to 52 years in prison and Piper to 37 years, at the hearing on Friday. | Rice was sentenced to 52 years in prison and Piper to 37 years, at the hearing on Friday. |
Rice also pleaded guilty to gun charges and Piper admitted a sex abuse charge which arose from the incident. | Rice also pleaded guilty to gun charges and Piper admitted a sex abuse charge which arose from the incident. |
Escorted home | Escorted home |
Mr Senitt went to Washington to study politics and volunteer for former Virginia governor Mark Warner's potential presidential campaign. | Mr Senitt went to Washington to study politics and volunteer for former Virginia governor Mark Warner's potential presidential campaign. |
Mr Senitt was killed as he escorted a female friend home from a cinema on 9 July 2006. | Mr Senitt was killed as he escorted a female friend home from a cinema on 9 July 2006. |
They were approached by four suspects including Piper, who had a pellet gun painted to look like a handgun. | |
He stole the woman's purse and sexually assaulted her. | |
Mr Senitt was killed in the Georgetown area of Washington | |
When Mr Senitt tried to help his friend, Rice stabbed him in the chest and slit his throat, the court heard. | When Mr Senitt tried to help his friend, Rice stabbed him in the chest and slit his throat, the court heard. |
The court heard that the murder was the culmination of a series of robberies committed by the defendants last July. | |
The prison sentences given to Rice and Piper included 16 years each for the robberies. Rice also received 11 years in prison for possession of a firearm. | |
Judge Neal Kravitz said the two defendants preyed on "innocent, defenceless people" and that what happened was "entirely foreseeable" when armed robbery took place. | |
In the District of Columbia, prisoners must serve at least 85% of their sentence before being considered for parole. | |
They took the life of our son for which there can be no defence, no justification, and no reason Karen Senitt | |
Outside the court, Mr Senitt's mother Karen said: "The defendants went out that evening determined to rob someone and take what was not theirs to take. In so doing, they took the life of our son." | |
She called for Rice and Piper to be jailed for life so they would "never be free again to do the same to someone else's child". | |
Mrs Senitt added: "They took the life of our son for which there can be no defence, no justification, and no reason." | |
Last November a 15-year-old was sentenced to juvenile custody by the US court after pleading guilty to murder in connection with the incident. | |
The case of fourth suspect Olivia Miles, who allegedly drove the getaway car, is ongoing. | The case of fourth suspect Olivia Miles, who allegedly drove the getaway car, is ongoing. |
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