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Man gets 17-34 years in Blvd. crash that killed mom, 3 kids

During a break in the emotional hearing, family members of defendant, victims hug.

IN A RARE MOMENT in the city's criminal courts, the family of a man convicted of killing a mother and three of her young sons on Roosevelt Boulevard two years ago walked over to the victims' family members and hugged, cried and spoke with them during a sentencing-hearing break.

As everyone knew, there were no winners in the courtroom.

On one side, family members of Samara Banks, 27, who was killed with three of her sons while crossing Roosevelt Boulevard at 2nd Street, about 10:30 p.m. July 16, 2013, still visibly felt the tremendous loss of their loved ones.

On the other side, family members of defendant Khusen Akhmedov, 25, also grieved and their pain, too, was palpable. Akhmedov and his family, who are part of an ethnic minority group known as Ahiska Turks, had come to the U.S. as refugees, after fleeing Russia in 2004.

After the short break, Common Pleas Judge Steven Geroff pronounced his sentence on Akhmedov. "The loss of precious, innocent young lives must be recognized," Geroff said.

But the judge also noted that Akhmedov "is a proper candidate for eventual rehabilitation."

Geroff sentenced Akhmedov to 17 to 34 years in state prison.

Geroff had presided over Akhmedov's nonjury trial in July and convicted him of four counts of third-degree murder and related offenses in the deadly crash.

In addition to the murder charges, his sentence took into account a conviction on a count of recklessly endangering another person for Banks' oldest son, Saa'yon Griffin, then 5, who was also crossing the boulevard.

Saa'yon and Banks' half sister, Laporcha Jones, then 14, made it to the grassy median dividing the north and southbound lanes of the boulevard, at the border of Olney and Feltonville, before Akhmedov's silver 2012 Audi S4 smashed into Banks and her three youngest sons.

Banks, of Feltonville, was pushing a stroller with her 23-month-old son, Saa'sean Williams, sitting inside, while holding her youngest son, Saa'mir Williams, 7 months, who was crying. Her 4-year-old son, Saa'deem Griffin, was walking and holding on to the stroller as they crossed where there was no traffic light.

Akhmedov could have faced a sentence of life in prison for being convicted of more than one third-degree-murder count, but Assistant District Attorney Thomas Lipscomb said a life sentence was taken off the table when Akhmedov agreed to a nonjury trial.

Witnesses in the trial testified that Akhmedov's Audi appeared to be racing with the driver of a white Honda. The Honda driver, Ahmen Holloman, now 33, of Northeast Philadelphia, pleaded guilty to four counts of vehicular homicide and was sentenced to five to 10 years in prison under a deal. His car did not hit anyone.

Akhmedov and Holloman, who did not know each other, both stopped after the crash.

Defense attorney Michael Diamondstein conceded Akhmedov was speeding and struck the victims, but argued that his client had not been racing Holloman.

The judge found otherwise.

"This was a drag race," Geroff said yesterday. "This was a drag race on a public highway. His [Akhmedov's] desire to win that race overcame what he had to know" about the rules of the road.

Banks' family emotionally told the judge about her loss and that of her three sons as other family members in the gallery cried.

"The things people take for granted, you miss those things," Francine Lawson, an aunt, said in remembering how the young boys would run around the room, one asking for juice, and in remembering how Banks lit up a room. Latanya Byrd, another aunt, recalled a time when Banks' surviving son, Saa'yon, now 8, was crying. Byrd said her nephew hugged Saa'yon and told him to be strong. But Byrd said Saa'yon replied: "I don't care. I just want my mom and my brothers back. I'm tired of being strong."

Sean Williams, the biological father of the two youngest boys killed, who also took care of the two older boys, tearfully told the judge: "Counseling doesn't work . . . Me and my family, we have to go to the cemetery to see my kids."

Akhmedov, who worked as an emergency-medical technician, faced a courtroom full of his and the victims' family members when it was his turn to speak.

"I'm really sorry, I'm really sorry from my heart," he said. "I apologize for what happened. I know in my history I did some childish decisions, but I am not a killer."

He called the three slain boys "the three angels left behind."

Akhmedov is a naturalized U.S. citizen. At the time of the crash, he was living part-time with his wife in Northeast Philadelphia and part-time with his parents in Lancaster, where they have lived since fleeing persecution in Russia. He has a 5-year-old son.

Akhmedov's father, Azim Akhmedov, and his mother, Nazira Akhmedova, both told a reporter their son is a good person and the crash was an accident.

The parents and other relatives, including aunt Maral Akhmedova, were among family members who expressed their condolences to the victims' family members during the break in the sentencing proceedings.

On Twitter: @julieshawphilly