The mother of the teenage unlicensed driver who fatally struck a little girl on the Upper West Side exploded in court Wednesday, screaming, “There is not justice!” as a judge offered her son three to nine years in prison instead of youthful-offender status.
“It’s not fair! There is not justice in this country!” shrieked Franklin Reyes’ mother, Lilia, as officers dragged her from the courtroom.“He was only 17!”
Franklin Reyes fatally struck 4-year-old Ariel Russo with his parents’ SUV in 2013 — and has been arrested three times since.
Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Gregory Carro, who faced similar outbursts from the mercurial mother in August, instructed officers not to allow her in the courtroom again.
“If the defendant takes responsibility as an adult, I will sentence him to what would amount to a total of three to nine years,” the judge said.
Carro withdrew a previous offer of youthful-offender status, which would have granted Reyes a more lenient sentence and no criminal record.
“After the defendant was arrested and indicted for two additional charges along with an arrest for a misdemeanor, that no longer is available,” the judge said.
Ariel’s mother, Sofia Russo, was grateful the judge took youthful-offender status off the table but was stunned by Lilia’s outburst.
“That really upset me that she would say there’s no justice, that it’s not fair,” said Sofia, standing next to her husband, Alan.
“Who knows better than us that it’s not fair? Our child is dead and hers is alive.”
Reyes was fleeing a routine traffic stop when he fatally struck little Ariel and seriously injured her grandmother.
He didn’t have a license and had taken his father’s car on a joyride, authorities said.
He was rearrested in July while out on bail on the manslaughter rap, for allegedly looting a dead woman’s apartment in a Chelsea building where his father was the superintendent. The dad, too, was charged in the theft.
Reyes was busted again — while still out on bail — on Aug. 31 for allegedly driving without a license after cops stopped him for an illegal turn.
Reyes stepped on the gas, dragging an officer 100 feet, according to the complaint.
A week later, Reyes bolted from DA-investigator escorts as they left a hospital where he had treatment for an injured leg.
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