Michael Riccardi
Encyclopedia
Michael Riccardi is an Italian American
New Yorker
who attempted to kill Reverend Al Sharpton
on January 12, 1991. While Sharpton was leading a march in the Italian
neighborhood of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn
protesting the death of Yusuf Hawkins, who was shot and killed by Joseph Fama in the neighborhood 2 years earlier, Riccardi stabbed Sharpton in the chest with a five-inch knife.
Riccardi, whose criminal past included convictions for assaulting a police officer and weapons possession, was apprehended by Sharpton's security detail and was turned over to the NYPD officers that were in the area monitoring the march. Sharpton sued the city for failing to protect him.
In 1992, he was convicted of first-degree assault. Sharpton asked the judge for leniency when sentencing Riccardi.
The judge sentenced Riccardi to five to 15 years in jail, and he served ten years in prison being released on parole on January 8, 2001. Sharpton visited Riccardi in prison, and Riccardi apologized to him in an emotional jailhouse meeting, and also asked forgiveness from Sharpton's family.
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
New Yorker
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
who attempted to kill Reverend Al Sharpton
Al Sharpton
Alfred Charles "Al" Sharpton, Jr. is an American Baptist minister, civil rights activist, and television/radio talk show host. In 2004, he was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. presidential election...
on January 12, 1991. While Sharpton was leading a march in the Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
neighborhood of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn
Bensonhurst, Brooklyn
Bensonhurst is a neighborhood located in the southwestern part of the New York City borough of Brooklyn.-Geography:Sometimes erroneously thought to include all or parts of such neighborhoods as Bath Beach, Dyker Heights, and Borough Park, or to be defined by the streets where the concentration of...
protesting the death of Yusuf Hawkins, who was shot and killed by Joseph Fama in the neighborhood 2 years earlier, Riccardi stabbed Sharpton in the chest with a five-inch knife.
Riccardi, whose criminal past included convictions for assaulting a police officer and weapons possession, was apprehended by Sharpton's security detail and was turned over to the NYPD officers that were in the area monitoring the march. Sharpton sued the city for failing to protect him.
In 1992, he was convicted of first-degree assault. Sharpton asked the judge for leniency when sentencing Riccardi.
The judge sentenced Riccardi to five to 15 years in jail, and he served ten years in prison being released on parole on January 8, 2001. Sharpton visited Riccardi in prison, and Riccardi apologized to him in an emotional jailhouse meeting, and also asked forgiveness from Sharpton's family.
Quotes
- "I thought the act would make me a hero in my community, but of course it didn't work out..." -Riccardi's comment on why he stabbed the Reverend Al Sharpton.