BROCKPORT, N.Y. — The widow of one of the police officers killed by the man scheduled to address students at SUNY Brockport on Wednesday is speaking out.

Diane Piagentini has a message for the leaders at SUNY Brockport. She has been a widow for more than 50 years after her husband, New York City Patrolman Joseph Piagentini, was killed along with Patrolman Waverly Jones in 1971. 

Anthony Bottom, who is now known as Jalil Muntaqim, was one of three men convicted in the killings. Muntaqim served nearly 45 years in prison before being released in 2020.

Piagentini has an 11th-hour plea to SUNY Brockport to cancel the event featuring the man who took the life of her husband and father of her children.

“My husband was on the ground asking him to please not kill him," Piagentini said. "He looked him in the face, but continued to shoot my husband. There were 22 bullet holes in him. When all of this comes up, I can still see the police car outside the house,” Piagentini said. “I can still see the rain that night. I can still hear the banging at the door for them to come in for the chaplain to come in to tell me.”

The officer from New York City’s 32nd Precinct had two young daughters.

“It was very challenging,” Piagentini said. “We were newlyweds. He was five years on the force. My daughters were 3 and 15 months old when he was killed. Their father just absolutely adored them.”

After raising her children on her own, and now a grandmother, Piagentini faces the recent release of her husband’s killer from prison, followed by news of him speaking at SUNY Brockport.

“It was unbelievable that a college would allow a convicted cop killer to speak,” Piagentini said. “The college really should cancel this event.”

Piagentini says this is not about freedom of speech.

“I believe in freedom of speech,” she said. “I'm here. I'm talking. I do believe in freedom of speech. But also we must remember that there are limits to academic freedom and free speech. Professors cannot publish research based on lies and untruths." 

Piagentini believes canceling the event is the right message for SUNY to send to its students.

“I would not like to see the school be besmirched by hosting a brutal killer of police officers who will mislead your students by portraying himself as a political prisoner and a freedom fighter,” she said. “So I'm urging Brockport College to cancel this upcoming lecture.”

Muntaqim was initially categorized by SUNY Brockport as a "political prisoner,” after the school says he was described that way on the campus website's events calendar by a faculty member who invited Muntaqim to campus.

SUNY Brockport later clarified that the school does not endorse the characterization of Muntaqim as a political prisoner, but does support the right of the faculty member to characterize him that way.

The college has already seen widespread backlash from local and state officials over the event. The program was initially going to be held in person, but was moved to a virtual setting on March 23.

Spectrum News 1 has reached out to SUNY Brockport to respond to Piagentini’s request to cancel and has not heard back.

But in the past, the college did say it does not support Muntaqim’s views or actions but does believe in freedom of speech.

SUNY Brockport released a statement last month saying in part:

"We do not support the violence exhibited in Mr. Muntaqim’s previous crimes, and his presence on campus does not imply endorsement of his views or past actions. However, we believe in freedom of speech.

SUNY Brockport has routinely held speaking events involving controversial speakers from various backgrounds and viewpoints and will continue to do so. These conversations are uncomfortable. They are meant to be. They're about gaining a new perspective."