A man who violently attacked a pizzeria manager in Manhattan nearly disrupted his plea deal during a court hearing on Thursday by shifting blame onto the victim, which infuriated the judge.
Tyshaun Watson, who pleaded guilty and was expected to receive a 17-year prison sentence, erupted in court, stating he was “provoked” prior to assaulting pizza chef Zakaira El-Sherif.
“I was being provoked… just look at the video,” he shouted, prompting Judge Laura Ward to interject sharply, suggesting they take the case to trial instead.
Watson, 36, then insisted that video evidence from the August 19, 2024, incident at Roma Pizza showed the victim incited the confrontation.
“If you watch the video, you’ll be on trial and see it for 25 years,” the judge warned as she decided to play the footage in court.
“You were the one who got behind the counter first. He didn’t come to get you,” the understandably irritated judge pointed out.
Surveillance footage revealed a limping Watson entering the restaurant, ordering two pizzas and a drink, then sitting in the back. The manager approached him multiple times, likely about his dog being off-leash.
Eventually, Watson retrieved a slice, approached the counter, and began an exchange of insults with El-Sherif. He then crossed behind the counter, punched the manager, and tackled him. During the scuffle, his pit bull appeared to join in, which only escalated the chaos.
Prosecutors indicated that the pit bull bit the victim several times.
El-Sherif managed to rise and attempted to block Watson’s escape, only to face another vicious beating, where Watson reportedly stomped on the manager’s head twice while he lay unresponsive.
The attack was reportedly sparked by Watson’s anger when the 47-year-old victim repeatedly requested that he not bring his dog into the shop. El-Sherif spent two weeks in a medically induced coma, followed by two months in the hospital for multiple fractures and a brain hemorrhage, yet, prosecutors noted a “miraculous recovery.”
During sentencing, Watson had initially claimed alcohol was a factor in the attack, then attempted to shift focus and blame the manager. After reviewing the footage again in court, Ward offered Watson one last chance to stick to the plea deal for a 17-year sentence.
Though Watson was acquitted of two first-degree assault charges in December 2025, he admitted to throwing the first punch and offered a half-hearted apology to El-Sherif, who was absent due to health issues.
Watson complained about the severity of his sentence, describing it as excessive—more fitting for a murder conviction—which further annoyed the judge. The prosecution had initially sought a 25-year sentence.
Judge Ward ultimately held Watson accountable but assured that she would advocate for his full sentence when he becomes eligible for parole.
“Just to be clear, whenever you come up for parole, I will do everything in my power to ensure you serve all 17 years,” she stated.
Outside the courtroom, Watson’s lawyer expressed confidence that her client was taking responsibility for his actions.
