Martin Turkiewicz, 88, who tried to kill his wife with a hammer at her New York nursing home has been sentenced to six months jail
An 88-year-old man who tried to kill his wife with a hammer at her New York nursing home has been jailed for six months.
Martin Turkiewicz told a judge on Thursday he wanted to end his wife’s suffering from dementia.
The Cheektowaga resident walked into the room of his wife of 60 years in September where she was doing physical rehabilitation therapy and hit her over the head with a hammer.
He thought he had killed the ailing woman, and that was also how the bloody scene looked to first responders, according to Judge Kenneth F. Case.
But Rita Turkiewicz, 86, is currently recovering from serious injuries including a fractured skull.
Rita Turkiewicz, 86, is suffering from dementia. She suffered multiple fractures to her head after being bludgeoned with a hammer. She said that she forgives her husband
Martin Turkiewicz, pictured, told a judge he wanted to end his wife’s suffering from dementia
Within days, family members said, she let them know she had forgiven her husband.
Turkiewicz, who originally was charged with attempted murder in the second degree, pleaded guilty in November to second-degree assault and has been out on bail since the attack inside the Garden Gate Health Care Facility in his hometown in suburban Buffalo.
He told the judge he wanted to tell his wife how sorry he is.
The couple have been married for 60 years.
Their adult children and grandchildren also were in court for the sentencing on Thursday.
One of their daughters, Diana Cline, addressed the judge to ask for probation for her father.
‘Everybody knew that Mom had health issues – bad knees, loss of her sight from macular degeneration, and dementia,’ she said as reported by The Buffalo News.
‘Our father is a man who made a horrible mistake,’ Cline said. ‘Please allow my mother and father to see each other again, so he can apologize. Let them hold hands and hug and tell each other they need and love each other.’
Turkiewicz also told the judge that he deeply regretted the pain and suffering he caused ‘his dear wife and our family’.
‘I need to apologize,’ he said. ‘And I believe she needs to hear the apology from me. I am pleading with the court and Garden Gate Manor to please allow me to tell my wife how sorry I am and how much I love her.’
He told the judge he wanted to tell his wife how sorry he is. The couple had been married for 60 years
An order of protection bans Turkiewicz from seeing or contacting his wife except on holidays under supervision.
Turkiewicz initially pleaded not guilty and could have faced a maximum of 25 years in jail.
‘I don’t think I could have a heavier heart,’ Judge Case said to Turkiewicz.
‘You have an amazing love story, and a tragic love story. I do believe this assault was done, in your mind, without malicious intent, and with love.’
The judge made the point that the law does not allow people to attack each other for any reason.
‘Your intent was to kill her and you were prepared to spend the rest of your life in prison for her,’ Judge Case said.
‘We can’t have people running around bludgeoning their wives with hammers because they think they should die,’ Case said.
Erie County District Attorney John Flynn called the sentence a ‘fair’ one and said he hopes Turkiewicz does not die in prison.