A North Carolina mother broke down in court as she came face-to-face with the store owner who killed her son over a bottle of Gatorade.
Amy Garrity faced off with Taiseer Zarka inside a Raleigh courtroom on Thursday as he was sentenced to five years behind bars for killing her son, Mark Garrity, 27, last year.
Garrity was stabbed inside Taz's Supermarket by Zarka, the convenience store's owner, in Raleigh on April 6, 2023.
Zarka, believing that Garrity was stealing a Gatorade, confronted him and the two got into an altercation, which ended with Garrity being stabbed by the store owner.
Zarka's defense attorney had said during his trial that it was a matter of self-defense and that Garrity had threatened to shoot him.
On Wednesday, he was found guilty by a 12-person jury on the charge of voluntary manslaughter.
Addressing the court, Garrity's mother said: 'I need to be clear and say without a doubt, that my son was the strongest, bravest, soul I've ever known.
'I'm proud of him, I am proud of you Mark in what you did and what you conquered in your short life'.
Mark Garrity was stabbed inside Taz's Supermarket by Zarka, the convenience store's owner, in Raleigh on April 6, 2023.
Amy Garrity faced off with Zarka inside a Raleigh court room as he was sentenced to five years behind bars for killing her Mark Garrity, 27
Zarka, believing that Garrity was stealing a Gatorade from his store, confronted him and the two got into an altercation, which ended with Garrity being stabbed
In addition to the prison sentence, Zarka was ordered to perform 100 hours of community service within nine months of his release.
In his own witness statement, Zarka told the court that 'things happen' and that he wished Garrity 'would've listened' to him.
He told the grieving parents: 'I wish peace to the family and to their hearts. Their son is with God now.'
In reaching their verdict, the jury asked to re-watch some of the in-store surveillance video and cellphone videos captured by witnesses.
One of the cellphone videos show the two tussling next to a row of refrigerators before it cuts.
The prosecution and the defense agreed that Garrity had appeared inside the store and the two got into an argument.
Zarka alleged that Garrity had placed the sports drink inside his bag.
The state argued that Zarka overreacted and that what came after the stabbing was telling of his character.
One of the cellphone videos show the two tussling next to a row of refrigerators
Garrity is seen here with his mother, Amy, who addressed the court as Zarka was sentenced
Wake County Assistant District Attorney Patrick Latour said that Zarka never went to check on Garrity as he lay bleeding in the street, but cleaned the store instead.
According to The News & Observer, he said: 'The defendant never goes outside, never walks out there to check on [Garrity] as he's dying in the street.
'No, while Mark dies, what does the defendant do? You'll see that the defendant mops. While Mark dies, the defendant mops.'
Zarka's attorney, Karl Knudsen, attempted to portray his client as a kindhearted store owner who had been working in a dangerous environment.
'All he wanted to do is get the bag, especially when he thought that there might be a gun in there,' Knudsen said. 'And Mark Garrity wouldn't give it up.'
After the sentencing was handed down, Knudsen said: 'It's traumatic to see the death of a human being.'
He went on to refer to Garrity as a 'troubled young man'.
