One of two men who pleaded guilty to the brutal hate-crime beating of a gay man apologized to his victim in court today but also blamed the heinous crime on booze as he was sentenced to eight years in prison.
“I wasn’t there, I was drunk and under the influence, I’m so very sorry,” said Daniel Aleman, 27 who along with Daniel Rodriguez, 22 admitted to viciously beating Jack Price outside of a College Point deli in October 2009.
Aleman was sentenced to eight years in prison and five years post-release supervision.
“I believe the sentencing was fair,” said Price, 50 as he walked out of the courtroom with a cane because of the injuries sustained from the attack. “He [Aleman] got caught up in stupidity.”
Price was hosptialized for 22 days and suffered a broken jaw, several broken ribs, two collapsed lungs and a lacerated spleen.
“You made a mistake and have a major price to pay,” said Judge Barry Kron after he meted out Aleman’s punishment.
Rodriguez will return for his sentencing on a later date.