A Queens jury found a doctor guilty for the 2007 death of her estranged husband. Both Mazultov Borukhova and her relative Mikhail Mallayev, who prosecutors say fired the fatal shots, were found guilty of first degree murder and conspiracy.
Borukhova and her estranged husband Daniel Malakov were embroiled in a bitter custody battle over their 4-year-old daughter. A judge had granted Malakov custody, which greatly upset Borukhova. Malakov was killed when handing off daughter Michelle to his wife at a Queens playground, and a homemade silencer found at the scene had the fingerprints of Mallayev, Borukhova's uncle by marriage. Prosecutors said she paid Mallayev $20,000 to kill her husband and noted how Borukhova made numerous calls to Mallayev. She claimed she was treating her aunt's and uncle's health, but during his closing argument, a prosecutor revealed Mallayev was actually in Israel on a day Borukhova said she saw him in her office.
Malakov's brother said, "Justice had to be served. People who did such a crime had to be punished. It's magnificent."
