STATEN ISLAND — The lawyer for a man accused of fatally stabbing his girlfriend and her two children said he will ask the court for a gag order against District Attorney Michael McMahon, saying he made "inflammatory" comments about his client, the Staten Island Advance reported.
Michael Sykes' lawyer Mark Fonte said Friday he would seek the order against McMahon because of a statement the DA released to the media after Sykes' indictment, the Advance reported.
Sykes has pleaded not guilty to murder charges for the deaths of his girlfriend Rebecca Cutler, her 1-year-old daughter Ziana Cutler, and their 5-month-old daughter Maliyah Sykes.
Fonte did not respond to a request for comment.
In the statement, McMahon called the Feb. 10 murders inside the Ramada Inn, at 535 Gannon Ave. N. "cold-blooded" and "barbaric."
"These cold-blooded murders were carried out against a woman and her innocent children. It’s almost incomprehensible to think a father and lover could do that to his partner, her children and, most shockingly, his own child," McMahon said in the statement.
"It is the goal of my office to seek justice for these victims and to hold this defendant accountable for these barbaric attacks."
A spokesman for McMahon declined to comment for the story.
Judge Stephen Rooney said he would decide on the gag order request after both parties filed a motion in court, the Advance reported.
Sykes, 25, was hit with a 14-count indictment for the deaths of Cutler, Maliyah Skyes and Ziana Cutler.
He was also accused of stabbing Cutler's 2-year-old daughter Miracle — who survived the attack — and stealing Cutler's cellphone the day before.
Prosecutors said Sykes stabbed Cutler more than 40 times inside the hotel room, which was being used as a homeless shelter, then stabbed Ziana Cutler and Maliyah Sykes about nine times each.
He then attacked Miracle Cutler and stabbed her approximately 11 times, McMahon said.
Cutler, Ziana and Maliyah died at nearby hospitals. Miracle was released from Richmond University Medical Center on Feb. 27, NY1 reported.
Sykes called his mom after leaving the scene, confessing to the killings and saying he was going to commit suicide, police said.
After a four-day manhunt, he was arrested in Queens.
Sykes was indicted for murder, attempted murder, assault, criminal possession of a weapon, robbery and endangering the welfare of a child.
