Family addresses killer in the courtroom

As John Licausi Jr. faced her in a courtroom Tuesday, Maureen Foster said she struggled to find forgiveness for the man whose attempt to flee Suffolk police caused the death of her husband, Scott.

"There was one person who could have forgiven you, and that was Scott," Maureen Foster said to Licausi in Suffolk County Court. "Your actions ensured that he will never be able to tell you that."

More than a dozen members of Scott Foster's family and friends, many wearing buttons with his picture, came to court expecting to see Licausi sentenced for the Farmingville crash that killed Foster, 46, of Manorville, in May 2008.

But the sentencing was postponed to Thursday because Suffolk County Judge James Hudson had not received a mandatory pre-sentence report from the Probation Department. Hudson apologized to Foster's family for the delay and allowed the family to give their victim impact statements usually done at sentencing.

In an interview, Director of Probation John Desmond said his office had been told Licausi's sentencing was scheduled for Friday.

Licausi, 50, of Riverhead, was convicted June 4 of aggravated vehicular homicide and second-degree manslaughter, among other charges. He faces a maximum sentence of 121/2 to 25 years in prison.

Prosecutors said Licausi was high on cocaine when he fled police who wanted to question him about his alleged theft of lawn equipment from a landscaper. Licausi ran a red light and smashed his sport utility vehicle into Foster's 1995 Toyota Camry at Horseblock Road and Old Medford Avenue, prosecutors said.

Licausi dabbed his eyes with a tissue and nodded as Foster spoke about her husband, a salesman. She said Scott Foster attended peace rallies and wrote songs for her. "I came to realize what a difference Scott made in so many lives and what a waste this accident was," she said.

Foster's father, Ron Foster, played a compact disc of his son singinga song he had written, "Day by Day," and talking to his son Sean, now 12. Foster had two other sons, Christopher, 21, and Ryan, 19.

Scott Foster's two brothers died of illnesses as children, David at 6, and Chris at 15, Ron and his wife, Jean Foster, said. Referring to Licausi, Ron Foster said, "This thief stole our third son from his family and friends."