Many of you will remember this horrific story — On March 29, 2021, Brandon Elliot approached Vilma Kari, a 65-year-old Asian American woman in New York City, as she was walking to church. Elliot began to brutally assault her by kicking her to the ground and stomping on her head multiple times just because she was Asian. As he attacked her, he yelled, “F*ck you, you don’t belong here, you Asian!” The attack was caught on surveillance video and was seen by millions of people around the world. 

Today, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. announced the guilty plea of Elliot — he plead guilty to one count of Assault in the First Degree as a Hate Crime and one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree. 

According to a press release from the DA, Elliot is expected to be sentenced on Jan. 3, 2024 to a promised term of 15 years in state prison followed by 5 years of post-release supervision. This prison sentence is, however, 10 years less than the 25 years he could have received.

“As my mother continues to heal from the physical and emotional trauma of this attack, we are processing this new information announced by the District Attorney’s office,” Liz Kari, the victim’s daughter and founder of AAP(I belong), said to Very Asian. 

Previously, Elliot was arrested when he was 19-years-old for killing his own mother in 2002. He was then released on lifetime parole in 2019. 

So to recap — Elliot murdered his own mother, was released from prison on parole, nearly killed another woman on her way to church just for being Asian, is now going back to prison but will likely be out again within 15 years. 

Is this what justice looks like in America? Let me know what you think in the comments.