Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita III announces that 41 year-old Jonathon Archibald of 10 Swinburne, Buffalo, New York was found guilty as charged, after a week-long long jury trial, of Assault in the Second Degree, before Acting State Supreme Court Justice M. William Boller.

On May 7, 2013, after an argument, Archibald pursued the victim into a store located at the corner of Harmonia and Walden in the City of Buffalo, and slashed him with a knife across the face. The initial attack resulted in a large gash extending from the victim’s left cheek, through his nose and onto his right cheek. As the victim attempted to defend himself, Archibald continued to stab him in the arm and chest.

A number of “defense theories” (i.e. efforts to manufacture doubt) were simultaneously urged upon the jury at trial including the claim that the police investigation was shoddy; that the defendant merely punched the victim; and that the victim was actually stabbed outside the store by a mysterious woman who suddenly attacked the victim in a location where, co-incidentally, there was no video surveillance camera. The jury rejected these ridiculous claims and quickly convicted the defendant.

Although the prosecution could not mention it at trial, this was not the first time Archibald has terrorized others in the same neighborhood.  In 2010, while again on Harmonia St., Archibald sliced a man across the face with a razor blade and robbed that victim of his cell phone. Archibald also boasts three (1997, 2005, and 2010) felony narcotics convictions.

Archibald was remanded into custody pending sentencing on June 20, 2014 and faces a maximum of life imprisonment if found to be a Persistent Felony Offender.

The case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Justin T.Wallens, who is assigned to DA Sedita’s Felony Trials Bureau.