Garden City, NY - December 2, 2014 - Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced the sentencing today of a man who was convicted by a Nassau jury of strangling his 88-year-old mother in the Garden City home they shared.
James Olsen was sentenced today by Nassau County Court Judge Angelo Delligatti to 17 years to life in prison. Olsen was convicted by a Nassau jury of Murder in the 2nd Degree (an A felony) after about five hours of deliberations at the end of a nine-day trial.
“Every senior deserves to be cared for in their twilight years in an environment free from violence, with dignity, love, and respect,” DA Rice said. “This tragedy could have been averted if Mr. Olsen had just reached out for help instead of lashing out against his ailing mother.”
DA Rice said that on the morning of April 21, 2011, Olsen strangled to death his 88-year-old mother, Ruth Olsen, with a necktie in her Garden City home. When police arrived on the scene, they found Olsen to have self-inflicted slash wounds to his wrists. He was arrested later that day by the Nassau County Police Department.
At the time of the incident, Olsen was a live-in caretaker for his mother, who was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
Assistant District Attorney Christine Geier of DA Rice’s Major Offense Bureau is prosecuting the case. Olsen is represented by Paul Delle, Esq.
