A Schenectady man killed an unarmed celebrant at a New Year’s Day party during a brawl. Now, he will spend decades behind bars.
Schenectady County Court Judge Matthew Sypniewski sentenced Christopher Smith-Wadsworth to 28 ½ years to life in prison for the brutal stabbing death of Sutlesh Girdharry, 24. Smith-Wadsworth was found guilty and convicted by a jury of second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon.
On Jan. 1, 2022, officers responded to a residence on Curry Road in the Town of Rotterdam where some friends and individuals were celebrating the New Year after reports of a violent altercation. According to prosecutors, an argument had ensued between some individuals who had left the party earlier, only to return in a two-car mob reinforcement for a violent confrontation. During the altercation, Smith-Wadsworth stabbed Girdharry multiple times with brute force and precision, which led to the victim’s demise.
“The degree of controlled focus, rage, precision, that is shocking that somebody is capable of doing. But here, take your pick, he went five for five, that is unique. The power, force, direction it takes, so you take a life like that, you deserve to go,” said Sypniewski during the sentencing hearing, according to Times Union.
During the investigation, some witnesses did not know the defendant, while some who were Smith-Wadsworth’s friends were uncooperative with authorities. Meanwhile, Smith-Wadsworth’s defense team argued that the defendant stabbed Girdharry in self-defense, but the jury disagreed.
“In the end, the jury concluded that Smith-Wadsworth had brought a knife to a fistfight with an unarmed man and delivered a sequence of lethal plunging stab wounds to Mr. Girdharry’s forearm and then his neck, both of which severed arteries, and were in no way justifiable under the circumstances and proved that his intent was to kill,” said District Attorney Robert M. Carney reported Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office.
Though the probation officer recommended a minimum sentence of 15 years in Smith-Wadsworth’s pre-sentence report, the victim’s family believed the defendant was not remorseful and asked the court to sentence him to the maximum penalty under the law.
The judge agreed!
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