By Thomas J. Sheeran The Associated Press
CLEVELAND – The family of the only person killed in a 2003 campus shooting rampage is satisfied that the killer, spared the death penalty, will serve out his life in prison, two brothers of the victim said yesterday.
“If he’s locked up and not able to go out and hurt anyone else, that’s fine with us. As long as he can’t do it again,” said Brian Wallace, 31, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
His brother, Norman Wallace, 30, of Youngstown, was killed by Biswanath Halder, now 65, in a 7 1/2-hour rampage inside the business school on campus.
Another brother, David Wallace, 38, of Columbus, said the family hadn’t focused on a possible death penalty recommendation from the jury. “There’s nothing that’s going to bring Norman back,” he said in a separate phone interview.
“I believe that as long as he’s off the street we’re satisfied with the jury’s recommendation,” David Wallace said.
Halder was upset that a hacker had wrecked his Web site meant to help business entrepreneurs from India. He believed a school computer laboratory employee was responsible. Wallace, who encountered Halder shortly after Halder attacked the business school, had never met Halder.
In a news conference yesterday inside Cuyahoga County Jail, Halder said he firmly believes others are responsible for Wallace’s murder.
“When the power is evil, innocent people suffer,” Halder said. “Norman Wallace is dead because the power is evil. Norm paid the price because of some criminal acts of some power brokers at Case Western Reserve University.”
Asked if he was crazy, Halder replied, “Not at all.”
One of the wounded survivors, Susan Helper, 48, said she was glad the jury had skipped the death sentence option.
“I think that vengeance, the culture of vengeance, is not the way to respond to something like this,” the Case Western Reserve University economics professor said from her sabbatical assignment in Berkeley, Calif.
Helper suffered a chest wound and said she still fears for her personal safety at times. She testified at the trial but didn’t not stay around to listen to any testimony.
Judge Peggy Foley Jones must decide whether to accept the jury’s recommendation or impose a less severe punishment but cannot sentence Halder to death. She scheduled sentencing for Feb. 17.
Halder, a native of Calcutta, India, was convicted on 196 counts for killing Wallace, a Case graduate student, and wounding two others.
The SWAT team responding to the standoff was hampered by the Peter B. Lewis building’s unusual design of curvy floors and walls. Halder was captured on the fifth floor.
Prosecutors said they still were determining whether to file charges against whoever hacked into Halder’s Web site. The Wallace brothers said they weren’t sure whether the hacker should be charged.
“I think the whole thing shouldn’t have happened. It’s a big spiral that got out of control,” Brian Wallace said.
David Wallace said the family wanted to know more about how Case reacted when it became known “that Halder had an issue with Case and intended to take action against them.” He declined to comment on the possibility of the family filing a civil lawsuit.
