A Republican candidate for condition legal professional typical is underneath fireplace for aiding a brutal killer.

Law firm John Sarcone represented Robert Sepe, who defeat his girlfriend Janette Carlucci to demise with a baseball bat at their Croton-on-Hudson property in 2008. Sepe was sentenced to 25 many years to everyday living in jail in 2009.

But Sarcone submitted an enchantment on Sepe’s behalf — and won.

He persuaded an appeals courtroom in 2013 to lessen Sepe’s sentence from initial diploma murder to a lesser manslaughter depend of 5 to 25 many years in prison. The judges had been split 3 to 2.

Sepe is suitable for parole in 2025 and could be produced for good behavior that calendar year.

He will be produced no later on than 2028 primarily based on the diminished sentence, in accordance to state Department of Corrections and Local community Supervision information.

Soon after the appellate court ruled in his favor, Sarcone advised lohud.com that that his killer customer was not “some member of a street gang, or a murder-for-employ the service of male, or a mass murderer or a serial killer. … However, he snapped, for which he is spending. It is a unfortunate, tragic scenario. Definitely there is a whole lot of empathy listed here. We felt that justice was served.”

But Jennifer Harrison, founder of Victims Ideal NY, stated Sarcone’s representation of the baseball bat killer tends to make him unfit to be the lawyer general.

“Sarcone tried out to justify this horrific murder. It is Ok to defeat a woman to dying with a baseball bat?! This is eye opening. It’s a large red flag,” Harrison claimed.

She stated Republicans can’t accuse Democratic incumbent AG Letitia James of currently being delicate on crime if their nominee for the place of work coddled a killer.

Sarcone, through a campaign consultant, defended his representation of Sepe.

“John Sarcone has a wide-based mostly authorized apply with a aim on appeals. A household pal questioned him to appeal this situation on behalf of the defendant’s loved ones and, after listening to the details, a few New York Point out Appellate Division Judges dominated that because of to the defendant’s prolonged-time period mental health and fitness difficulties Manslaughter was a a lot more correct selection,” mentioned Sarcone marketing campaign spokesman Rob Ryan.

Then Westchester County District Legal professional Janet DiFiore — now the state’s chief decide — opposed the minimized sentence.

In its ruling, the appeals court docket explained Sepe was emotionally distraught since of personalized and company-related woes. He ran a failing Bronx health merchandise distribution business.

“The proof overwhelmingly demonstrates that the defendant, who was in a fragile psychological condition, was essentially affected by an extraordinary psychological disturbance when he attacked Carlucci, with whom he had earlier shared a loving partnership,” Decide Jeffrey Cohen wrote for the majority.

“We are certain that the jury was not justified in concluding that the defendant was not beneath the affect of an intense emotional disturbance, for which there was a fair explanation, when he attacked and killed Jeanette Carlucci.”

The opinion noted that Sepe had “a background of depression and a lengthy record of panic and worry ailment that would manifest itself in panic attacks.”

Sarcone faces off versus lawyer Michael Henry in the Republican key for lawyer common.