The family of a young man who was murdered inside a convenience store over a bottle of Gatorade have lashed out at his killer's sentence.
Mark Garrity, 27, was stabbed following an altercation with Taiseer Zarka inside Taz's Supermarket in Raleigh, North Carolina, in April 2023.
Zarka, believing that Garrity was stealing a Gatorade, confronted him, and the two got into an altercation that ended with Garrity being stabbed by the store owner.
On Wednesday, the 61-year-old was found guilty by a 12-person jury on the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to five years behind bars.
After this lesser sentence was handed out, Garrity's father Mark issued a statement, describing Zarka as 'the devil'.
He said: 'We are disgusted and will continue to fight for justice for Mark. We will make sure Taiseer Zarka’s past is exposed.
'He has victimized too many people. It was cold-blooded murder of our 27-year-old son.
'The justice system is broken and the police waited too long to arrest him. Because of his criminal past being expunged, the jury didn’t know they were looking at the devil.'
Mark Garrity, 27, was stabbed following an altercation with Taiseer Zarka inside Taz's Supermarket in Raleigh, North Carolina, in April 2023
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 an interview with the lead investigator in the case Detective Eric Heflin, Zarka claimed he told Garrity he could have the Gatorade if he admitted to stealing it
Mark and Garrity's mother, Amy, had tearfully begged for a harsher prison term as they made an emotional plea on Thursday.
The judge in the case ignored their pleas after the jury was unable to reach a consensus on whether there was an aggravating factor in the case.
Two minors were present in the store at the time and witnessed the deadly stabbing and would have added that factor to the sentence.
The jury had three choices: second degree murder, not guilty, or voluntary manslaughter.
According to state law, he would have been sentenced to as much as 12 years to life if he was convicted of second degree murder.
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.
In addition to the prison sentence, Zarka was ordered to perform 100 hours of community service within nine months of his release.
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
Amy and Mark Garrity faced off with Zarka inside a Raleigh court room as he was sentenced to five years behind bars for killing their son
Garrity is seen here with his mother, Amy, who also addressed the court as Zarka was sentenced
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.'
Amy Garrity, Mark's mom, broke down in tears as she addressed the court on Thursday.
She 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'.
She also spoke of his battle with drug addiction but said his character was larger than his troubles. He had been scheduled to enter a rehab center two days after his death.
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 showed the two tussling next to a row of refrigerators before it cut out.
In an interview with the lead investigator in the case Detective Eric Heflin, Zarka claimed he told Garrity he could have the Gatorade if he admitted to stealing it.
He told officers that Garrity then started shouting obscenities at him and threatened to kill him and another employee with a gun.
Zarka said he then tried to get Garrity out of the store but wanted him to leave his bag behind for fear he actually had a weapon on him.
He said: 'Then he starts punching, he starts hitting me. I can punch back. But then he reaches into his back pocket. I’m not taking no chances with anybody. That’s it.'
Zarka said he then stabbed him and told officers he had grown tired of crime in the downtown area of the city.
He said: 'Raleigh downtown is changing, becoming crazy. For the past four years, I don’t know what’s going on.
'It’s now becoming the Mecca of every drug addict or homeless [person] coming to our streets.'
A toxicology report later found that Garrity had both cocaine and fentanyl in his system when he died.
Zarka said he then tried to get Garrity out of the store but wanted him to leave his bag behind for fear he actually had a weapon on him
A toxicology report later found that Garrity had both cocaine and fentanyl in his system when he died
Heflin would testify that the footage taken from the store didn't align with Zarka's recollection of what happened.
He said that Garrity is never seen reaching for his back pocket throughout their interaction.
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.
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.'
