Latest news with #hailMary
Herald Sun
11 hours ago
- Herald Sun
Ali Dastmozd tries to quash conviction at Court of Appeals
Don't miss out on the headlines from Leader . Followed categories will be added to My News. A jealous jailbird who violently stabbed his ex-wife's boyfriend has made a hail Mary attempt to quash his conviction, arguing evidence of his admission to police should have been thrown out. Two years after a jury found Ali Dastmozd guilty of aggravated burglary and intentionally causing serious injury — locking him up for a decade (seven years non-parole) — he has launched a bold bid for freedom. Dastmozd stabbed his ex-wife's new boyfriend Sahar Seyedi at a Mulgrave house in October 2020, storming into the home and slicing the victim's jugular vein during the wild attack. When police arrived and apprehended Dastmozd, court documents revealed he admitted the crime. When asked 'did you stab the other guy?' by an officer Dastmodz replied 'yeah'. 'Don't worry man, the fight is finished,' Dasmodz told police, lying face down on the road. But in an audacious bid for release Dastmozd argued at the Court of Appeals that this admission — captured on a body camera — was prejudicial and should not have been shown to the jury as it was made before he was officially arrested. He claimed his conversation was in the 'company of police questioning' rather than while under arrest. According to court documents Dastmozd was told he was under arrest about 'one minute and 10 seconds after the admission'. He argued allowing this evidence to be admitted deprived him a 'realistic chance of acquittal, resulting in a substantial miscarriage of justice.' During the trial there were no objections to this footage being shown to the jury. But Appeals judges Kristen Walker, Lesley Taylor and Robert Osborn found he was under arrest at the time, citing the Evidence Act which references a person being under arrest as someone who 'has been given reasonable grounds for believing that they would not be allowed to leave'. 'This was a volatile situation, where a stabbing had occurred, the weapon had not been recovered, members of the public could be at risk and the precise number of offenders was unknown,' the judges found. 'In light of (police) commands to (Dastmozd) to get on the ground, put his hands behind his back, and stay there, it is plain that paragraph (c) of (Evidence Act) was satisfied.' Dastmozd's appeal was dismissed.
New York Post
13-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Who won fiery final NYC mayoral debate? Post panelists rate the Dem candidates: ‘Finally landed some punches'
Ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo took the harshest personal hits from rivals Zohran Mamdani and Brad Lander in the second and final mayoral primary debate — but likely not enough to topple his perch as the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, a Post panel of political experts said. But Mamdani, who has emerged as a top threat to Cuomo, took some jabs as well. And the panel of seven analysts questioned whether criticisms about the charismatic 33-year-old Democratic socialist assemblyman's thin resume and experience will blunt his momentum. 'Cuomo, Mamdani and Lander were more vitriolic, throwing haymakers,' said Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion. Advertisement 5 Former NYC Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during the final NYC Democratic mayoral debate at John Jay College of Criminal Justice on June 12, 2025. AP 'But I don't think the debate changed the dynamics of the race.' Campaign strategist O'Brien 'OB' Murray said Cuomo, Lander and Council Speaker Adrienne Adams were the debate winners. Advertisement 'Democratic opponents finally landed some punches on Andrew Cuomo, but none of these punches will leave any bruises,' said Murray. Still, Murray said: 'Lander went right at Cuomo and was a different debater from the start.' Republican campaign strategist Bill O'Reilly agreed, saying, 'Cuomo likely did well enough to keep his polling lead, but Lander improved on his last performance and may siphon away some Cuomo votes.' One of the signature moments in the debate was when Lander, the city comptroller, recognized Peter Arbeeny, whom he invited as a guest to the debate hosted by NY1 and The City at John Jay College Thursday night. Advertisement 5 Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani stands on the debate stage at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater. via REUTERS Arbeeny's father, Norman, died from COVID-19 after a rehab stint in a nursing home. The stunt allowed Lander to personalize Cuomo's controversial COVID-19 policy that required nursing homes to admit recovering infected patients, which critics claimed accelerated the spread of contagion and deaths of vulnerable, elderly residents. Cuomo has long denied that was the case. Advertisement The panelists said Lander's super aggressive performance was perhaps his last attempt to try to shake up the race and supplant Mamdani as the anti-Cuomo alternative. 'Lander attempted to revive his campaign. It was a hail Mary night,' Murray said. Former Brooklyn Councilman Sal Albanese said, 'Lander was in Cuomo's face. Lander showed fire tonight. He had a pretty good performance.' The Post panelists said Mamdani showed he could go toe-to-toe with Cuomo, when he said of the sexual misconduct accusations that forced the veteran pol from the governorship, 'I have never had to resign in disgrace.' He also scolded Cuomo for mispronouncing his name. 'Mamdani's hammering Cuomo on the sexual harassment accusations and demanding that he pronounce his name correctly was as clean a blow as you'll ever see in a debate. It was a memorable moment,' said Andrew Kirtzman, managing director of the consulting firm Actum. 'Cuomo found it hard to get off the defensive at first, but got stronger and more commanding as the night went on – he projected more gravitas than any of his opponents.' 5 NYC Comptroller Brad Lander speaks during Thursday night's debate. via REUTERS Advertisement Political analyst Ken Frydman said the hit on Cuomo's sex harassment scandal landed — but it wasn't a knockout punch. 'If it was, no woman would've voted for Donald Trump,' he said. Frydman added: 'Cuomo, Mamdani and Adams came into the second debate one, two and three — and came out of it one, two and three.' One of the surprises of the debate, the panelists said, was when the council speaker deftly asked if Mamdani had the experience to be mayor, comparing her background and record to his. 'Adrianne Adams showed maturity and experience while others questioned the same for Mamdani. Her use of the assemblyman is something the others didn't catch onto,' said Murray. Advertisement Another candidate, former city Comptroller Stringer, also took a veiled shot at Mamdani, a foe of Israel who supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against the Jewish state. 'The BDS movement is antisemitic,' Stringer said. 5 Democratic mayoral candidates Adrienne Adams, Andrew Cuomo, Brad Lander, Zohran Mamdani, Zellnor Myrie, Scott Stringer and Whitney Tilson participate in the debate on June 12, 2025. POOL/AFP via Getty Images Cuomo, Stringer and longshot candidate Whitney Tilson did a 'stellar job hammering home Mamdani's radical and anti-Israel stances,' said O'Reilly. Advertisement Democratic operative Yvette Buckner said there fewer voices than in the first debate but 'the attacks were bolder and more negative,' especially for Cuomo by Mamdani and Lander. She noted that questions were raised about Mamdani's experience as well. 'Mamdani effectively delivered soundbites on his opponents but did not dig deep into his policy positions, like other candidates such as Adrienne Adams did, which leaves unresolved questions with less than 36 hours until early voting,' Bucker said. 5 Democratic operative Yvette Buckner said there were fewer voices than in the first debate, but 'the attacks were bolder and more negative,' especially for Cuomo by Mamdani and Lander. AP Advertisement 'But it remains to be seen if that will slow down his momentum.' Albanese was the one panelists who really thought the debate hurt Cuomo. 'I think Cuomo's numbers are going to drop. He took a pounding. I thought he had a weak debate,' he said. Cuomo couldn't even remember if he'd ever visited a mosque while campaigning, Albanese noted. 'No Muslims are going to vote for him,' said Albanese. The primary election is June 24 with nine days of early voting beginning on Saturday.
