A man from Long Island, accused of fatally stabbing a New Jersey high school football player outside an ax-throwing bar, was acquitted by a Manhattan jury. This came even after he admitted to the stabbing during his testimony.
Gianluca Bordone, 21, was found not guilty of manslaughter and assault. He persuaded the jury that he acted in self-defense when he fatally stabbed 17-year-old Rocco Rodden in the heart outside the Live Ax nightclub in Tribeca on Thanksgiving Eve in 2023.
The three-week trial featured several witnesses recounting an early morning fight where Bordone, who is an event promoter from Oyster Bay, drunkenly stabbed Rodden during a scuffle between the two groups.
Prosecutors described the act as delivering a “fatal blow,” stating it caused significant damage to Rodden’s ribcage and heart.
Bordone’s attorney, Anthony Rico, argued that video evidence from the brawl would demonstrate that his client’s actions were justified since Rodden’s group was chasing him and began to assault him.
On the stand, Bordone claimed he stabbed Rodden out of fear for his life. He expressed concern that he could be seriously hurt, recalling instances where people had been attacked before.
The trial also included emotional testimonies from Rodden’s family, notably from his brother, Anthony, who was also injured during the altercation.
Anthony shared that he was celebrating a reunion with family in the city and had been drinking a lot before the incident. The jury saw distressing police body camera footage showing him, bloodied and frantic, searching for his brother after the stabbing.
It took the jury just four hours to deliver their verdict to Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Laura Ward on Thursday.
Bordone, who graduated from Roslyn High School, faced a possible 25-year sentence if convicted of first-degree manslaughter.
His attorney had no immediate comments available on Friday.
A spokesperson from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office expressed gratitude to the jury and extended condolences to Rodden’s family. They acknowledged the jury’s efforts and shared sympathy for the family’s tragic loss.
