Slaying suspect: Send me to Afghanistan

Kim Smith

Thursday, Oct. 11, 2001 | 9:18 a.m.

A former New Yorker charged with murder has agreed to plead guilty on the condition that he is sent to Afghanistan to avenge the deaths of the children killed in the World Trade Center bombing.

In a letter sent to District Judge Jeffrey Sobel, Anthony Cuccia Jr. said that even though Chief Deputy District Attorney Chris Owens "has a better chance of walking on water than getting a conviction" against him, he would plead guilty to the February 2000 slaying of Philip Greenspan.

Cuccia is living in a state mental health facility in Sparks, where he is being evaluated to see if he is competent to stand trial.

Cuccia's attorney Chip Siegel declined comment on his client's letter.

Cuccia, 60, lists two options under which he would plead guilty. Under the first condition, he says he would plead guilty if sentenced to serve in the military.

"Your honor, there are day-care centers in those Twin Towers in New York. I got to help avenge the lives of those American children who never had a chance to live in and see this great country they were born in," Cuccia said.

The second would be to if he got credit for time spent in jail awaiting trial, Cuccia said.

Cuccia said the terrorists don't deserve "one more second" to live, and he has the special skills needed to kill them.

Cuccia, 60, is accused of gunning down Greenspan, 59, inside the sports book at the Stardust hotel on Feb. 7, 2000.

According to court records, witnesses said Cuccia walked up to Greenspan and shot him after saying, "Take this to Nikki."

Cuccia, in a 52-page voluntary statement, told police that Greenspan was a mob enforcer who was planning to carry out a longstanding hit on him. The "Nikki" he referred to is Nick Corazzo, an alleged associate of mob boss John Gotti.

Owens did not return calls seeking comment.