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The family and friends of a slain 'Good Samaritan' vowed on Sunday at the funeral service in New York to make a concerted effort to ensure that the three persons charged with his murder face the death penalty.
"Rupinder [Singh] always went out of his way to help others and he will be remembered as a model to all communities," said his uncle Sukhwinder Singh. "But by making sure his killers get death penalty, we want to send a message to others who could create trouble.
"For us, only the death penalty will bring some satisfaction," he added. "That is our one big request."
Sukhwinder Singh said that not only family and friends but the police too want the death penalty for Rupinder's killers.
Rupinder Singh, 26, was killed on July 19 in Brooklyn, a few miles away from his Richmond Hill home in New York, after giving a ride to three adults and a child whose car had seemingly broken down near a gas station.
Jack Govan, 27, and James Johnson, 26, who allegedly stole Singh's car after shooting him are charged with his killing.
Johnson's girlfriend Darshen Kingsberry, 26, has been charged with hindering the investigation and endangering the welfare of the child who witnessed the killing.
Johnson and Kingsberry were arrested when they tried to sell Singh's car. Hearing of their arrest and suspecting that his own arrest was imminent, sources say, Govan surrendered to the police. All three were in custody within two days of the murder.
Johnson, who allegedly fired the shot, could get 25 years in prison if found guilty. Govan could get a 20-year sentence.
Rupinder's family has received a stream of condolences from city officials and students and professors at St John's where he had enrolled in a graduate programme in computer science.
Dozens of mourners attended a memorial Holy Mass for Rupinder at St John's last week.
Sukhwinder Singh said the family was considering marching to the district attorney's office along with well-wishers to demand the death penalty for Rupinder's killers. "But we have not decided a date," he said, adding that he would also like to see where the petition drive was going.
(Suman Guha Mozumder and Arthur J Pais contributed to this report)
EARLIER REPORT: Good deed gets rewarded with death
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