José Sucuzhañay’s Killer: “So I Killed Someone — That Makes Me A Bad Guy?”

[JackBeck]

Keith Phoenix (right) being led out of the 83rd precinct in Brooklyn (DeCrescenzo / NY Daily News)

Jim Burroway
February 28th, 2009

That’s what http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/02/27/9191">murder suspect Keith Phoenix, 28, said when he http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2009/02/27/2009-02-27_sucuzhanay_hate_crime_suspect_keith_phoe.html">confessed to the hate-crime murder of José Sucuzhañay:

“So I killed someone — that makes me a bad guy?” Police sources said Phoenix showed no remorse for beating the 31-year-old victim in the mistaken belief he was gay because he was walking arm-in-arm with his brother. “He kept saying, ‘What’s the big deal? The guy’s dead,’” a police source said.

Phoenix, and unemployed felon out on parole, was caught on security video laughing just 19 minutes after he and http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/02/25/9164">Hakim Scott[/i>, 25, http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2008/12/12/7325">bashed José with an aluminum baseball bat on December 7. Phoenix reportedly continued to swing at Sucuzhanay even as he lay twitching on the ground. José was http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2008/12/14/7336">declared brain dead five days later. Scott confessed and has shown remorse for his role in José’s death, saying he was glad to get it off his chest. But Phoenix is a different animal altogether.

http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/">Box Turtle Briefs

[TexasObserver]

1. Life with no possibility of parole sounds right.

[JackBeck]

3. Arrogance knows no limits when truly seeing what resides deep in the soul of a bigot.

Admission of guilt. Life with no parole. Case closed.

[Liberal_in_LA]

2. um yeah, that makes you a VERY bad guy

[Arkansas Granny]

4. He showed no remorse. Isn't that a sign of a true sociopath?

[Berry Cool]

5. He kept saying "What's the big deal? The guy's dead"?

Isn't that very much like the old joke about the guy who murders his parents and then begs the court for mercy because he's an orphan?

...The stupid and evil, it hurts.

[Mollis]

6. Holy...

He thought he was gay because he was walking with his brother?
This guy needs to rot in prison.
His poor brother witnessed it? That is horrible.

[MrSlayer]

7. Death Penalty. Do it now.

Here is one of those clear-cut, no doubt about it cases. They don't have the wrong guy, he's completely without remorse and is certain to become a prison "wolf". Take him before the judge, play the confession, find him guilty and shoot him in the head. Over in 10 minutes.

[Withywindle]

8. No, not really.

When I think of a "bad guy," I think of, say, Darth Vader or Hannibal Lecter or the Joker--someone who kills people, but has some spark of goodness or intelligence or compelling train-wreck quality that makes you cringe when he makes a point you can relate to.

You, Mr. Phoenix, don't merit this honor. You're just a piece of shit.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

9. Hate Crime anyone?