Defendant: Clifford Ali (DOB 08/06/63)

May 17, 2018 -- Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. announced that, following a jury trial before Westchester County Court Judge Barry Warhit, Clifford Ali of Mount Vernon has been found guilty of Murder in the Second Degree, a class A-1 felony, in the death of Martin Lisnak, 74. The jury was charged Wednesday and returned a verdict before noon Thursday.

Ali now faces 25 years-to-life in state prison. He has been remanded into custody and is scheduled for sentencing July 25, 2018.

Background
On Nov. 21, 2016, at approximately 1:25 p.m., Mount Vernon Police received a 911 call. The call was made by the defendant who falsely claimed the victim had been robbed and beaten on the street, was not breathing, and was in his home at 214 South Fifth Avenue, Mount Vernon. Police responded and found Lisnak naked and brutally beaten, lying in a pool of blood in his bed. He had been dead for some period of time.

An autopsy revealed Lisnak had been beaten more than 20 times about his body with multiple canes. Three canes were found in the apartment. The victim died from blunt force trauma as a result of that final brutal beating.

Ali testified at trial and maintained his innocence. He claimed a neighbor may have been the perpetrator. The jury rejected the defendant’s claim and found him guilty of Murder in the Second Degree.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Lana Hochheiser, Deputy Chief of the Homicide Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Strongin.

Clifford Ali

Clifford Ali

In compliance with the Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 3.6, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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