‘A slap in the face’: Victim’s family reacts as man gets 10 years for killing young sailor
Albert Lee Soto Photo courtesy of Atoria Elem GoFundMe A man who fatally shot an -year-old Navy sailor in East Village was sentenced Monday to years in state prison Ta Kari Terell Benness pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and a gun allegation for the Aug killing of Albert Lee Soto an operations specialist seaman apprentice who was assigned to the San Diego-based destroyer USS Pinckney Soto a native of Queens New York had communicated to San Diego for military function in April of six months after enlisting according to the Navy At Benness arraignment a prosecutor explained the shooting stemmed from a fight between two groups of people at a local nightclub which spilled into an argument outside Deputy District Attorney Matthew Carberry stated Benness and or members of his group reported something to the effect of I will air this expletive out I ve got my gun in the car The prosecutor disclosed Soto left but later returned demanding a one-on-one fight in retribution for the fight that took place in the club Benness then pulled out a gun and shot the victim according to the prosecutor Soto was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead Carberry stated Benness then fled California on a Greyhound bus He was arrested nearly two months later in St Cloud Minnesota At his sentencing hearing Benness apologized and mentioned I don t like the fact that I took another man s life However he also claimed Soto followed him and put me in a weird position drawing anger from several of Soto s family members who attended court or viewed the hearing remotely Chosen of Soto s loved ones alleged Benness bragged about the killing on social media A letter read in court from the victim s mother Sarria Soto called the -year sentence a slap in the face and a number that allows Benness to start over someday but my pain will remain for a lifetime Her letter directed toward Benness also read I don t want sympathy I want you to feel the weight of what you did You took something you can never give back
