The suspect, Charles Polevich, was initially facing up to 11 years behind bars before he pleads guilty to felony charges of leaving the scene of a fatality and tampering with physical evidence.
- May 7, 2022
AceShowbiz - Nicki Minaj is left disappointed after a judge said that a man who killed her dad Robert Maraj in a hit-and-run will get less than a year in jail. Upon learning of the ruling, the "Anaconda" raptress is "not happy."
Newsday reported on Friday, May 6 that the Trinidadian rapper and her mom Carol Maraj were disappointed with the judge's order. "I'm not happy with that... one year in jail. I'm not happy with that," said the "Super Bass" spitter. Meanwhile, Carol told the outlet, "I was angry, very, very angry."
"I started to shake because it brought back all the memories of that night when I was sitting in the hospital," continued Carol, who is suing the suspect, Charles Polevich, for $150 million in a civil lawsuit. "I'll say what I have to say at sentencing," Carol promised. Charles' sentencing is scheduled for August 3.
During Friday's plea hearing, Charles confessed to striking Robert before taking off without reporting the crash to authorities. Charles also confirmed he put his Volvo under a tarp in an effort to hide it once he returned home. Judge Howard Sturim later said Charles, who was initially facing up to 11 years behind bars, would get "no more than one year in jail," along with community service and a suspended license.
Prosecutors, who sought a one-to-three-year prison sentence, then took issue with the planned penalty. "Given the severity of the defendant's conduct, we disagree with the sentencing commitment from the court," Nassau County District Attorney's office spokesperson Brendan Brosh said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Marc Gann, Charles' lawyer, insisted that the hit-and-run was "completely out of character" for his client. Marc also pointed out that his client "is extremely remorseful for any role he may have played in Mr. Maraj's death."
"There are no allegations of substance use or abuse as causative of his conduct and it is our belief that a medical heart issue contributed to [Charles]'s conduct," said the lawyer. "[Charles] could not be more sorry for the loss of Mr. Maraj."
In February last year, TMZ reported that Robert was struck by a vehicle heading northbound while he was walking on the road between Roslyn Road and Raff Avenue. The driver then fled the scene. Robert was rushed to a nearby hospital following the accident. He was reportedly in critical condition and later succumbed to his injuries.
Nicki did not speak publicly about the incident until May 2021, when she posted a message to her official website that said her father's death had been "the most devastating loss of my life." She penned, "I find myself wanting to call him all the time. More so now that he's gone. Life is funny that way. May his soul rest in paradise. He was very loved & will be very missed."
