Jerome Isaac in court today. The firebug was sentenced 50 years in prison for burning a woman to death in a Brooklyn elevator. (Pool photo)
The evil firebug who burned an elderly woman to death in her Brooklyn elevator will spend the rest of his life in prison, ruled a Brooklyn Supreme Court judge who called the attack “one of the most horrific crimes I’ve ever seen.”
Jerome Isaac, 48, admitted in a plea deal that he ambushed Dolores Gillespie, 73, in 2011 by spraying gasoline on her, lighting her aflame with a barbeque lighter, then throwing a Molotov cocktail on her as her screams echoed through the building.
“He will die in jail,” Gillespie’s daughter said in a statement read by prosecutors. “While my authentic feeling continues to be anger, ultimately, we believe that you fight fire with water … not fire. So may God have mercy on his soul.”
The judge, prosecutors, and defense attorney all agreed the attack that the video of the attack – captured by a surveillance camera in the elevator – was among the worst sights they had ever seen.
“I would have thought after 30 years in this business very little would have shocked me,” said ADA Mark Hale.
“I was wrong. It’s a permanent part of my dreamscape. I have nightmares and that tops the list.”
The judge and both attorneys praised the plea deal and how it ensures neither the victim’s family nor the jury will be forced to watch the horrific video.
“It does in fact spare the family and the public the trauma of seeing the video,” defense attorney Howard Tanner said. Tanner also said his client – a Rastafarian – requested that the Department of Corrections not cut his hair.
Isaac’s sentencing in November was postponed because he told probation officials “the devil tells him what to do.” Judge Vincet DelGiudice ordered a psyche evaluation and postponed sentencing until today, when it was revealed Isaac had been found fit to be sentenced.
DelGiudice sentenced Isaac to 50 years to life on counts of murder and arson and said, “I can’t conceive of any right-minded individual allowing Mr. Isaac to rejoin the public.”
Gillespie had hired Isaac for odd jobs but fired him when he stole her kitchenware and DVD player, which made Isaac so angry he planned the attack.
jsaul@nypost.com