State
of Florida
Office of the State Attorney
16th Judicial Circuit
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Office of the State Attorney 16th Judicial Circuit
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Criminal Justice System Overview Employment Opportunities |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MARCH 10, 2006 Sykora Pleads Guilty In a stunning move, Jan Sykora today pleaded guilty to two counts of first degree attempted murder and one count of armed burglary for his 2004 knife attack on a Key West couple. Dressed in black-and-white high-risk prisoner stripes and speaking though a Czech interpreter, Sykora, 30, made his surprise plea before Circuit Judge Mark H. Jones this morning. Sykora appeared in court today ostensibly for a hearing to request a change of venue and sequestration of the jury for his trial starting this Monday. Instead he pleaded guilty to the felony charges that could cost him three consecutive life terms. On September 13, 2004, Key West was under a mandatory evacuation order in anticipation of Hurricane Ivan. One of the few restaurants in town remaining open was the Sands Beach Club on Simonton Street where Tim Gallagher, 44, worked as a manager. Having returned to his Riviera Drive home after the dinner shift, Gallagher heard knocking on his front door shortly after midnight. He opened the door to find no one and went outside to investigate. Sykora slipped inside behind him and, taking a knife from the kitchen, attacked Gallagher. Gallagher tried to fight off his assailant, but sustained multiple stab wounds to the chest – including one deep cut just centimeters from his heart. The commotion brought Gallagher’s alarmed wife, Lynn Scarpelli, 40, to the front door. When Scarpelli jumped Sykora to defend her husband, Sykora turned the knife on her. He repeatedly stabbed Scarpelli’s face. One of his thrusts pierced Scarpelli’s cheek and cut off part of her tongue. Then Sykora fled. Despite their serious wounds, Gallagher and Scarpelli managed to call 911. Police found Sykora blocks away on Sunset Drive. When he was apprehended he had stripped off his pants, perhaps because they were covered with blood, and was naked below the waist. The attack knife was found nearby. Before they were taken by paramedics from the scene, Scarpelli identified Sykora as the assailant. The couple was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Trauma Center in Miami with Gallagher in critical condition. Days later the two identified Sykora in a photo line up. DNA examination of the attempted murder weapon revealed Sykora’s DNA residue on the knife’s handle and a mixture of Gallagher’s and Scarpelli’s blood on the blade. Sykora has been in custody in the Monroe County Detention Center without bond since the night of his rampage. Sykora’s plea today was particularly unusual in that it was “straight up” -- an outright admission of guilt rather than a plea bargain negotiated with State Attorney Mark Kohl’s office. Judge Jones exhaustively explained “the extremely serious charges and the extremely serious consequences” associated with Sykora’s plea. Jones himself characterized it as a “thorough and meticulous plea colloquy.” After nearly an hour of painstaking questioning and explanation, Sykora stood by his guilty plea and Judge Jones accepted it. Catherine Vogel, Chief Assistant State Attorney for Mark Kohl was set to prosecute the case on Monday. “We are pleased that Sykora chose to plead guilty and avoid a long, costly trial and even more trauma for his victims,” Vogel said. Sentencing is tentatively set for May 3 in Key West. |
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Last modified:
10/23/07
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