Killer Re-Sentenced to Life in Prison, Escaping Death Penalty

Seifullah Abdul-Salaam is returning to prison to serve the remainder of his life sentence following another sentencing hearing where he managed to avoid capital punishment. Previously, a jury failed to come to an agreement regarding whether he should be sent back to death row.

I was clearly let down,” stated New Cumberland Police Chief Richard Wiley. “This has affected the officers who are currently serving in the department.

Abdul-Salaam initially received the death penalty for murdering New Cumberland Police Officer Will Cole during a robbery in 1994. However, his sentence was reversed in 2018 when an appellate court determined that Abdul-Salaam’s defense lawyer should have presented testimony regarding the childhood abuses he endured at his original sentencing hearing.

Richard Wiley, the new chief of police in New Cumberland, mentioned that his officers found it difficult to embrace the recent decision.

“No one was present in the department during this incident,” stated Wiley. “However, everyone experienced the same grief and distress that the community went through in 1994.”

At the sentencing proceeding, Officer Cole’s sibling, Wendy, addressed the court expressing her distress over the verdict and stated that their family has not recovered from his passing.

A different individual informed the court that New Cumberland forfeited its purity following the shooting incident.

Decades later, old injuries resurfaced,” stated Sean McCormack, the Cumberland County District Attorney. “This is not a minor issue.

Since 2015, Pennsylvania has imposed a ban on carrying out death penalties, and Governor Shapiro has pledged not to approve any execution orders during his tenure in Harrisburg.

Even with the moratorium in place, District Attorney McCormack felt it was crucial to reinstate Abdul-Salaam’s initial death penalty.

I’ve had personal reservations about capital punishment over the years,” stated McCormack. “However, as I mentioned initially, I swore an oath as a district attorney to enforce the law.

Before departing from the courthouse, Abdul-Salaam extended an apology to Officer Cole’s family for the suffering he had inflicted and expressed gratitude to the jury for showing empathy toward him. Authorities are hopeful that Abdul-Salaam will make good use of this fresh start in life and turn over a new leaf.

“Here’s hoping he does, and perhaps he might influence someone to make better choices in their life,” stated Wiley.