Long Island man allegedly shot his sister with a crossbow after fight over thermostat

A Long Island man has pleaded not guilty after prosecutors alleged he shot his sister with a crossbow following an argument over the thermostat inside their home.

Samy Sedhom appeared calm and collected in court on Thursday, addressing the court in a clear and polite voice. But he still faces questions as to whether he is mentally competent to stand trial on charges he used the medieval weapon in an attempt to kill his older sibling in February.

Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly believes the 21-year-old’s actions leading up to the attack prove he is competent for trial, alleging he planned it for two months.

“He had to order this crossbow, have it delivered, put it together. So there was planning involved,” said Donnelly. “There’s something so violent about the use of a crossbow.”

The DA alleged Sedhom wanted his sister dead because of an ongoing fight over the temperature in the Lawrence home they shared. Sedhom wanted it warmer, while his 28-year-old sister thought it should be cooler.

“My client intended to scare his sister and never intended to hurt her in any way,” said Sedhom’s lawyer, Stephen Mullkoff, who in February described the incident as a prank gone wrong.

Donnelly said she doesn’t see how the incident can be viewed as a prank.

“That statement is so unbelievable to me because a prank that — we’re talking about an inch would have killed somebody. Doesn’t deserve the word ‘prank,’ it deserves the word attempted murder,” said Donnelly.

The defense attorney has previously stated that he believes his client “absolutely suffers from an undiagnosed mental health condition.” Mullkoff declined to answer questions on Thursday, after prosecutors said police body cameras captured Sedhom confessing to the attack.

“He basically admitted to doing this. He admitted he was guilty,” Donnelly said.

Sedhom’s parents also left court without commenting.

The attack occurred outside the family’s home. The sister, a nurse, was struck in the ear by an arrow after returning home from the gym.

That arrow, prosecutors allege, had been fired by her brother from across the street.

The judge said Thursday that the mental capacity test should be completed by the time Sedhom returns to court at the end of April. Until then, he will remain behind bars without bail.

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