A Florida man was sentenced this week to 12 years in prison for stabbing a woman in a checkout line after a confrontation about the behavior of his kids and his swearing girlfriend.
Jammacar Rodkesh Gayle, 40, was sentenced after being found guilty of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon for the June 2023 knife attack at a Port Charlotte supermarket.
Police stated that the argument began when the victim suggested that Gayle's girlfriend stop swearing. Also, in the arrest affidavit, police stated that the victim criticized the behavior of Gayle's children, the Miami Herald reported.
Eventually, Gayle resorted to grabbing a knife that was for sale, removing it from its packaging, and stabbing the victim.
"The victim then left the counter with half of her order, but then came back for the rest, and the verbal argument continued. The defendant grabbed a frying pan that was for sale and carried it back towards the victim, but one of his children took it out of his hand," police stated. "He then retrieved a kitchen knife, also for sale, that had an 8-inch blade. As the victim stepped back, the defendant stepped towards her and slashed her four times with the knife, along her abdomen."
After the stabbing, Gayle took off, leaving his girlfriend and the kids behind. The victim was med-flighted to a trauma center in Lee County for life-saving treatment. Gayle went to his home, changed out of his bloody clothes, and drove to New York City, where he was arrested and extradited back to Florida, police said.
Gayle's attorney, Diane Gonzalez, told the Miami Herald that her client was remorseful and that the incident was out of character.
"He doesn't have a record; he's a family person," Gonzalez said, adding Gayle felt threatened during the altercation. "It was way out of his character."
