The family of Fatou Jallow, the Gambian woman killed in December of 2016 by Ali Hassan, said they are disappointed with the court’s verdict in the homicide case.
Hassan was originally charged with First Degree Intentional Homicide, a charge that has a maximum sentence of life in prison. On Thursday, a jury reduced that charge to Homicide by Intoxicated Use of a Firearm. That charge typically carries a 25 year prison sentence.
Fatou Jallow’s father, Sankulay Jallow, said the ruling does not give his daughter justice.
“Intentional homicide, that’s what the guy is supposed to get but he didn’t get it,” Jallow said. “That person did not get what he was supposed to get.”
“I was like, wow, just because he got drunk it wasn’t intentional? That’s crazy,” Fatou’s half-brother Mamadou said.
“Drunk or not you know what you were doing,” Fatou’s half-sister Isa said.
Sankulay Jallow said his family wants to appeal the jury’s verdict.
“What I hear and heard [Thursday] night, that was so heartbreaking for me,” Jallow said.
Fatou Jallow grew up with her mother in Gambia. When she was 22 years old, her father was able to get her a visa to join him, his wife and other children in the U.S.
“Me and my wife, we worked so hard, so hard to get her here,” Jallow said. “She came here to have a better life.”
Fatou started attending Madison Area Technical College and was studying to become a nurse. In the meantime, she was working at a group home on Madison’s east side through a company called REM.
“She was so excited. She was ready to start a new life,” Isa said.
On Dec. 21, 2016 Fatou was working at a group home in Madison. Ali Hassan entered the home and shot Fatou and another woman. Hassan also worked for the company that Fatou was employed with.
“She wanted to be a nurse. That’s the first told me. The second thing she told me that, ‘daddy, I’m scared of this country’ I said ‘why’ she said that ‘you know every time you watch T.V., you see gun, gun,'” Jallow said. “That’s what ended up taking her life.”
“She came here to be somebody, you know, to do something and he just took her away like that. Just gone,” Isa said.
Fatou’s mother is still living in Gambia. Jallow said she has tried to apply for a visa to come to the U.S. to visit her daughter’s grave. He said her visa has been denied.
“Her mom couldn’t be here to see where she was laid to rest. Somebody just kills her like that, her mom couldn’t see where she is laid to rest. That is hurting me. That is hurting my family.” Jallow said.
Ali Hassan is scheduled to be back in court for a sentencing hearing in March.
nbc15
