Man Who Killed 21-Year-Old With 1 Punch Outside N.Y.C. Bar Gets 6 Months, Weeps in Court
A 26-year-old man is set to spend the next six months behind bars for a single punch he threw outside a New York City bar in late 2018 — one that led to the death of a 21-year-old doorman and construction worker.
PEOPLE confirms the sentence against Steven O’Brien, which was approved by a judge Wednesday.
The six-month sentence follows a plea deal last November to a third-degree assault charge.
During the early morning hours of Thanksgiving 2018, outside the Gaslight Bar in Queens, O’Brien — an Irish citizen — delivered one punch to the head of Danny McGee during an argument that turned violent.
The Irish Times reports McGee was found unconscious outside the bar in the early hours of November 22nd, 2018, and later died at the hospital.
PIX 11 reports that O’Brien wept at the defense table as he listened to a letter from McGee’s mother, Colleen, which was read aloud in court.
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
“You killed my son,” read the letter. “Your actions were solely responsible for Danny’s death.”
The letter continues that Danny, who was a hard worker who “excelled in soccer and Gaelic football,” was brought up “not to raise his hand to anyone.”
She added: “The impact of Danny’s death on me is immeasurable. Thoughts of him consume every waking moment. … There was so much he could have achieved.”
