Abel Cedeno, who stabbed a fellow Bronx high school student to death and seriously wounded another during a fight in September 2017 after what he said was repeated racist and homophobic bullying over his perceived sexuality, was sentenced to 14 years in prison on Tuesday after being convicted of manslaughter in July. He received a second sentence of eight years for the second assault. The two will run concurrently.
Cedeno had just turned 18 when he fatally stabbed 15-year-old Matthew McCree and seriously wounded 16-year-old Ariane Laboy.
The NYT reports: “The fatal attack was the first in a New York City school in more than 20 years. It drew heightened attention because of the circumstances surrounding it. Mr. Cedeno said he had suffered years of physical and emotional abuse because he was gay and then lashed out in self-defense against students who had been afflicting him.”
Gay City News reports: “Justice Michael A. Gross acknowledged but rejected numerous and diverse pleas for Youthful Offender status for Cedeno from elected officials, LGBTQ groups, and organizations that provide counseling and alternatives to incarceration. Cedeno had just turned 18 at the time of his crime and would have faced one to four years if granted Youthful Offender status — as well as the chance to have his record wiped clean after serving his sentence.”
Cedeno spoke with ABC7 shortly after his arrest in 2017.
