Michael Riccardi

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Michael Riccardi (born 1963) ^[1] is an Italian American New Yorker infamous for his attempt to kill civil rights activist Reverend Al Sharpton on January 12, 1991. While Reverend Sharpton was leading a march in the Italian neighborhood of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn protesting the death of Yusuf Hawkins,^[2] who was shot and killed by Italian Joseph Fama in the neighborhood 2 years earlier, Riccardi stabbed Sharpton in the chest with a five-inch knife.^{[citation needed]}

He was apprehended by Reverend 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.^[2]

In 1992, he was convicted of first-degree assault. Reverend Sharpton asked the judge for leniency when sentencing Riccardi.^[2]

The judge sentenced Riccardi to five to 15 years in jail^[3], and he served ten years in prison^[2], being released on parole on January 8, 2001^[4]. Reverend Sharpton visited Riccardi in prison, and Riccardi apologized to him in an emotional jailhouse meeting, and also asked forgiveness from Sharpton's family.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] 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.^{[citation needed]}