Accused serial killer to represent himself at criminal trial

July 23, 2013 By Charisma L. Miller, Esq. Brooklyn Daily Eagle

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Indicted on six counts of murder, three of which are for murder in the first degree, a Brooklyn criminal defendant told the court on Monday that he wished to represent himself in his pending trial.

Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Alan Marrus granted the request and allowed defendant Salvatore Perrone to fire William Martin, his court-appointed attorney, warning Perrone that he appeared very confused when it comes to attorney issues.

Perrone was charged with six counts of murder, three in the first degree and three in the second degree, for the deaths of three clothing store owners in Brooklyn last year.

The prosecution alleges that July 6, 2012, Perrone shot and killed Mohamed Gabeli, 65, inside the Valentino Fashion clothing store at 7718 Fifth Ave. in Bay Ridge. A month later, Perrone allegedly shot and killed Isaac Kadare, 59, inside Amazing 99-Cent and Up Deals clothing store at 1877 86th St, in Bensonhurst. The indictiment further alleges that Perrone killed Rahmatollah Vahidipour, 78, inside She-She Boutique at 834 Flatbush Ave. on Nov. 16, 2012. Ballistics reports show that the same gun was used in each murder.

“While nothing can replace the lives of Mohamed Gebeli, Isaac Kadare and Rahmatollah Vahidipour, hopefully some comfort will be gained knowing that this murderer is off our streets,” State Senator Eric Adams and Councilman Jumaane Williams said in a joint statement at the time of Perrone’s arrest in November 2012.

In his statement to police, Perrone, a man in his mid-sixties, stated that he worked for “the Palestinian section of the CIA.” All three victims were of Middle Eastern descent, but it is unclear if Perrone targeted these men because of their ethnicity.

None of the businesses where the men were attacked had security cameras, an issue that Williams and Adams vowed to discuss with Brooklyn retailers in an effort to encourage storeowners to install surveillance cameras.

Murder in the first degree carries a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole. Murder in the second degree carries a maximum sentence of 25 years to life, for each count.