A man who fatally stabbed his brother-in-law in the victim's Yonkers apartment was given a prison term of 25 years to life as the judge cited his "callous, calculated act."
Westchester Judge Maurice Williams imposed the maximum sentence for John Singh, 55, on Wednesday, July 29, assailing the defendant's lack of remorse for the death of 78-year-old Bernard Barua.
The sentencing was particularly noteworthy for the lack of a victim impact statement on Barua's behalf. Instead his widow, the defendant's eldest sister, was given the chance to speak and unsuccessfully sought leniency for Singh.
In the fall of 2024, Singh was living with his sister and Barua in their Saw Mill River Road apartment after getting kicked out of the home of a relative who
had obtained an order of protection against him. On the afternoon of Nov. 16, he called 911 to report he had been stabbed - adding as almost an afterthought that Barua was also stabbed and that he had done it.
Police and paramedics responded to find Barua unconscious in his blood-soaked bed.
Singh claimed he had been defending himself. Although the knife that killed Barua was Singh's he claimed he had not seen it in weeks and that Barua emerged from the bedroom with it and stabbed him in the living room before they struggled over the knife.
Jurors last month reached a quick verdict rejecting Singh's self-defense claim after the prosecution highlighted that there was no blood or sign of a struggle in the area of the living room where Singh claimed the altercation occurred.
While Singh suffered a chest wound that nicked his heart, Assistant District Attorney Lana Hochheiser argued that it was likely self-inflicted so that Singh could portray himself the victim. Williams said his conclusion from police body-camera video in the hallway outside the apartment was that Singh was "unmoved by the demise of Mr. Barua" and that the defendant had shown "zero, not a scintilla of remorse" during the trial.
Hochheiser cited the "senseless and brutal" nature of the crime and Barua's vulnerability and innocence in asking for the maximum sentence.
She said a letter Singh wrote to the judge includes unsubstantiated allegations about Barua and casts blame on police and prosecutors, court staff and the jurors he called disgraceful and mentally ill.
"He blames everyone and takes zero responsibility for his own conduct. He's shown zero empathy, zero remorse," Hochheiser told the judge. "It was Mr. Barua's compassion and generosity to this defendant who was his brother in law which ultimately caused his death. Had Mr. Barua turned the defendant away he would be alive now and its difficult to imagine a greater betrayal."
Defense lawyer Richard Ferrante asked for the minimum sentence, 15 years to life, citing the circumstances of the case, Singh's valid self-defense claim and his lack of a criminal record. He suggested the maximum was unwarranted, though Williams later said he "wholeheartedly disagreed."
For 10 minutes, Singh read a lengthy, prepared statement, saying the events of that day have changed his life forever and that he has spent 20 months trying to figure out what he could have done differently. Singh thanked his three children, his ex-wife, his mother and his brothers and sisters for their support and for not judging him.
While held awaiting trial he said he struggled to "fully understand the reality of my situation" and turned to God "to renew my faith, find inner peace and forgive and to be forgiven." He said he enrolled in whatever programs he could to remain active like he was when he was a businessman, singling out anger management courses he completed.
He insisted he had years of a "special brotherly relationship" with Barua, with frequent vacations together. But he said Barua had a fierce temper and could get quickly enraged. Still Barua's good outweighed his bad, Singh said.
A dozen relatives of Singh's wrote letters to the judge seeking leniency, extolling Singh and degrading Barua. Williams said he wasn't sure if it represented "support or enabling" and that "victim-shaming" was a recurring theme from Singh and his family. He said he was particularly struck by how many of the relatives referred to what happened as "the incident."
"It's not an incident; the jury has found that it's a murder," Williams said. "Mr. Barua deserved better."
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Maximum prison term for fatal stabbing of brother-in-law in Yonkers
