D.A. Bragg Announces Prison Sentence of Keyshawn Kitchens for Harlem Stabbing


June 1, 2023

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., today announced the sentencing of KEYSHAWN KITCHENS, 23, to 7 years in state prison for stabbing a 20-year-old man in front of a community center in Harlem. A New York Supreme Court jury found KITCHENS guilty of one count of Assault in the First Degree and one count of Assault in the Second Degree on May 16, 2023.

 “Keyshawn Kitchens aggressively attacked a volunteer at a local community center, leaving him with serious injuries and significant trauma,” said District Attorney Bragg. “I thank the jurors for their careful consideration of the evidence, and our prosecutors for their commitment to accountability in this case.”
 
As proven at trial, on August 10, 2018, KITCHENS’ girlfriend was working at a community center near West 143rd Street and Lenox Avenue. At approximately 5:00 p.m., she began arguing with a volunteer inside the center.
 
After the argument, KITCHENS’ girlfriend called him, stated she was being harassed by the volunteer, and asked him to meet her outside the center. A few minutes later, KITCHENS arrived and stabbed the victim with a knife in the chest, abdomen and shoulder, causing significant bleeding to his abdomen and injuries to his kidney and intestines.

KITCHENS fled the scene but was arrested soon after near the corner of West 142nd Street and 7th Avenue, where police recovered a knife from his pocket.

 Assistant D.A.s Danielle Coffey and James Edwards-Lebair (Trial Bureau 50) handled the prosecution of this case under the supervision of Assistant D.A.s Timothy Duda (Deputy Chief of Trial Bureau 50) and Jessica Lynn (Chief of Trial Bureau 50) and Executive Assistant D.A. Lisa DelPizzo (Chief of the Trial Division). Trial Preparation Assistant Katharine Dowley and former Trial Preparation Assistants Ryan Kellner and Chongsuk Jeong also assisted with the case.
 
D.A. Bragg thanked the NYPD, particularly Detectives Heriberto Vasquez of the Manhattan North Homicide Squad, Detective Tiffany Jeffries of the Joint Organized Crime Task Force, and Officer Steven Baio of the 41st Precinct (all formerly members of the 32nd Precinct).

Defendant Information:
KEYSHAWN KITCHENS
New York, N.Y.
 
Convicted:

  • Assault in the First Degree, a class B felony, one count
  • Assault in the Second Degree, a class D felony, one count

Sentenced:

  • 7 years in state prison, 5 years of post-release supervision

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