An ex-St. John’s College lacrosse participant who was stabbed within the guts by a former teammate throughout a house-party brawl over loud music recalled the bloody incident Monday throughout his alleged assailant’s assault trial in Queens.
Justin Corpolongo regarded shaken as he described the lead-up to the brutal 2019 struggle along with his then-roommate Matthew Stockfeder — whose lawyer mentioned that he used the knife solely in self-defense after Corpolongo began the struggle.
Corpolongo — who was left along with his “intestines . . . hanging out of his abdomen” in response to Assistant District Legal professional Konstantinos Liturgis — mentioned the incident started when he got here dwelling after a protracted shift bartending and located his dwelling the scene of a home get together with roughly 20 guys blasting music.
“My room was immediately beneath the ground the place they have been having a celebration,” mentioned Corpolongo, who graduated in 2018 and now works as a trainer.
After politely asking them to show the sound down, Corpolongo mentioned he “went upstairs and pulled the facility twine out of the speaker.”
Corpolongo, whose dad and mom have been in Queens Supreme Courtroom to help him, stared at Stockfeder as he testified.
Near 40 folks got here to again Stockfeder, 24, on the primary day of his felony assault trial.
Richard Sullivan, the primary witness to take the stand, instructed the jury how the ex-lacrosse captain and the remainder of the partyers confirmed up at his home later that night time.
He mentioned Stockfeder grabbed a steak knife from the kitchen and confirmed it off after inserting it in his waistband.
“I requested him ‘why does he have that [knife]?’ and [Stockfeder] replied ‘to defend myself,’ ” Sullivan instructed the jury.
Stockfeder “was holding his cellphone with each fingers and regarded like his face was buried in it,” Sullivan described.
He “antagonized” Corpolongo in a gaggle textual content, the ADA mentioned.
Corpolongo then arrived, squaring up towards Stockfeder and throwing the primary few punches, Liturgis mentioned.
Two lacrosse gamers stepped in to interrupt up the brawl — which is when Stockfeder “took a knife from his waistband and plunged it not as soon as however twice into his [ Corpolongo’s] decrease stomach.”
Protection legal professional Michael Douglas Horn argued his shopper “reacted out of worry,” whereas the sufferer “reacted out of rage.”
Corpolongo is anticipated to explain the struggle and stabbing when he continues testifying on Tuesday. The trial is ready to final 4 days.
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