By Lane DeGregory, Times Staff Writer
Monday, August 30, 2010
Beverly Falla faces Joseph Safrany, who was convicted and received a life sentence in the deaths of three men, including her son, Shawn, in a drunken driving accident.
TAMPA — The accident was a tragedy, the Roman Catholic priest told the circuit court judge. But it was just that: an accident.
And though Joseph Safrany killed three young men with his Cadillac a decade ago, he should not have to spend the rest of his life in prison, he said.
"He has learned a very hard lesson. He has been very remorseful," Father John Beckley testified to Judge Wayne Timmerman on Monday. "Further time in prison serves no good purpose."
The parents of the dead men disagreed. "I always wanted life for you," said Beverly Falla, who lost her 20-year-old son, Shawn.
Safrany, 45, was driving a friend home early April 6, 2000, when a Honda turned in front of him on Sheldon Road. Safrany had been drinking beer at a Tampa bar that night. The young men in the Honda, all airmen at MacDill Air Force Base, had been partying in Ybor City.
"The blame really goes to all of these young men," said the priest. "Joe received a life sentence, in my opinion, unjustly."
Safrany has spent seven years behind bars for the deaths of Falla, Troy Call and Brandon Smith. All that time, he has been reading law books, filing appeals, trying to get a new trial. In December, a judge said Safrany couldn't have a new trial. But before he was sentenced, family and friends should have been allowed to speak on his behalf.
Monday's resentencing hearing was packed. Safrany sat silent for most of the three hours. When his mom told the judge how he had agonized over those young men he killed, Safrany started sniffling.
"Joe died that night, too," said Eileen Safrany. "I didn't bury my son. But there's not a day that goes by that I don't think of those other parents. And I know Joe does, too."
A detective told the judge how Safrany had skipped bail before his trial, stolen a dead man's name, spent 15 months living a lie. Then he saw himself on America's Most Wanted and turned himself in.
When Safrany took the stand, he said he was sorry. "I'm sorry for my part in this accident, for every part of it, for everything the people involved suffered, for their suffering still," he said softly. He kept rocking from foot to foot, swallowing hard. "I'm sorry for the flight also. I hope if the court takes that into account, that they will recognize ... I came back on my own. ... I'm sorry."