48-year-old Abdulsalam Al-Zahrani, who said he murdered 77-year-old Richard T. Antoun because he was mentally ill, is likely to serve an 11-year prison sentence.
Al-Zahrani said he suffered from a psychological condition that caused him to hallucinate and had not been taking his medication when he killed Antoun, the court heard.
Al-Zahrani, an anthropology major, stabbed Antoun in his office at Binghampton University. Antoun received a doctorate from Harvard in 1963 and joined Binghamton as professor of anthropology in the early 1970s.
Al-Zahrani came to believe the professor was part of a conspiracy against him. Al-Zahrani said he was provoked to the violent attack by a smile from Antoun.
Al-Zahrani's lawyer, who was appointed by the Saudi Embassy to defend him, attached medical reports from hospitals and clinics in Riyadh and the US detailing his client’s condition since the 1980s. The plea bargain came after psychiatric experts determined Al-Zahrani was schizophrenic but mentally competent to stand trial on an original charge of second-degree murder.
The Saudi Counsel General in New York Azzam Al-Gain said the sentence was reduced because of Al-Zahrani’s condition.
The consulate asked the lawyer to ensure Al-Zahrani saw a psychiatrist in addition to obtaining a medical report on his condition. The two years Al-Zahrani spent in jail will be taken into account when he serves his sentence. Diplomats recently visited him in jail.
An official from the consulate said financial assistance is being deposited into Al-Zahrani's account and that they are following up his case. The diplomat said that he is being treated well in jail.
Broome County Judge Joseph F. Cawley Jr. ordered Al-Zahrani to be sent to a state psychiatric center until he was deemed competent to appear in court.
Al-Zahrani is expected to be sentenced Sept. 9.