Taiseer "Taz" Zarka was sentenced to five to seven years in prison on Thursday to end a high-profile trial that started with a fatal stabbing at his downtown Raleigh convenience store.
Remembrances of the victim, Mark Garrity, started an emotional day in court on Thursday.
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Friends of the family, his girlfriend and parents shared memories of Garrity, who was just 27 when he was stabbed on April 6, 2023, at Taz's Supermarket in downtown Raleigh. Zarka, who owned the convenience store, was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter on Wednesday.
The sentence included anger management therapy in prison and for Zarka to have no contact with the Garrity family. Zarka must also serve 100 hours of community service after his release.
Mother Amy Garrity and father Mark Garrity Sr. spoke at length beside photos of their son in the courtroom. They requested the maximum sentence for Zarka to Judge Keith Gregory.
Garrity grew up in Wake Forest and lived in Wilmington and Asheville. Friends and family at the proceedings wore white shirts with '#justiceformark' inscribed on the back.
Zarka believed Garrity was stealing a Gatorade, leading to the confrontation and eventual stabbing with a pocket knife.
"For the beginning we have fought for our son, defending our son," Amy Garrity said. "The doctor told us this was no stabbing. This was a brutal slaying of our poor son's body. For 19 months, we have been fighting for our son."
"The way this all played out because the defendant decided to use a knife that he didn't need to use leads us all here today," said prosecuting attorney Patrick Latour, who added the circumstances were a tragedy for all involved.
On the other side, Zarka wore an orange jumpsuit. He spoke to the judge from his seat at the defendant's table.
"I wish peace to the family and to their hearts," Zarka said. "Their son is with God now."
His friend, Munar Triash, spoke for an impact statement and said Zarka was a hard worker and known to help customers who needed food or money for a bus fare.
"He is not an evil monster," Knudsen said. "He's not a Godless soul. He is a good man who did a wrong thing."
After the verdict was read Wednesday, the court determined there were two people younger than 18 in the store at the time of the stabbing. It could have constituted as an aggravating factor, which could have extended Zarka's sentence. However, the jurors were split 8-4 about the aggravating factor, so Judge Keith Gregory declared a mistrial on this part of the trial.
Zarka, who suffers from prostate cancer and has an 18-year-old daughter, could have faced up to 20 years in prison if he was convicted of second-degree murder.
"I'm sorry it happened from the bottom of my heart," Zarka said. "I wish his family peace as much I wish my family peace because they're going to be in pain."