A Long Island man, Gianluca Bordone, has been acquitted by a Manhattan jury of all charges related to the stabbing death of a New Jersey high school football player that took place outside an axe-throwing bar, despite admitting on the witness stand to the act of killing.
The jury returned a not guilty verdict on manslaughter and assault charges on Thursday after Bordone, 21, successfully argued that he acted in self-defense when he fatally stabbed 17-year-old Rocco Rodden in the heart during an altercation outside the Live Axe nightclub in TriBeCa on the night before Thanksgiving in 2023.
The trial stretched over three weeks and featured several witnesses who described the chaotic scene of the early morning fight, during which Bordone, an event promoter from Oyster Bay, used a pocket knife on Rodden amid a brawl between two groups of friends.
“He delivered the fatal wound, a deep laceration in the center of his chest that tore through his rib cage and pierced his heart,” asserted Manhattan prosecutor Alfred Peterson during the trial.
Bordone’s defense attorney, Anthony Ricco, showcased video evidence from the incident which, he argued, illustrated that his client was justified in his actions as Rodden’s companions pursued and assaulted him.
Bordone testified on Monday, explaining that he stabbed Rodden, a junior football player, out of fear for his life, according to Newsday.
“I was terrified that they would overpower me, stomp on me, or beat me with a bottle I had seen beforehand,” he stated.
The proceedings also included emotional accounts from Rodden’s family, including his brother Anthony, who was also injured in the brawl.
Anthony recounted to the jury that his younger brother and sister had come to the city to celebrate a reunion after being away at college, and noted that they had been drinking heavily before the stabbing.
Heart-wrenching police bodycam footage was shown in court, capturing a bloodied and shirtless Anthony frantically shouting, “Where’s my brother! Where’s my f–king brother!” as emergency services attempted to transport him to a hospital following the altercation around 1:30 a.m.
The jury deliberated for only four hours before delivering their verdict to Justice Laura Ward of Manhattan Supreme Court on Thursday.
Bordone, who graduated from Roslyn High School, faced a potential sentence of up to 25 years if convicted of first-degree manslaughter.
His defense attorney has not yet responded to inquiries for comments as of Friday.
A representative for the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office expressed gratitude to the jurors for their service and extended condolences to the Rodden family.
“We are thankful to the jury for their dedication and respect their decision,” the spokesperson remarked. “Our deepest sympathies go out to the Rodden family during this difficult time as they cope with their tragic loss.”
