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He tried to argue “stay safe” after a fatal stabbing. Here’s how it will pay off instead
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He tried to argue “stay safe” after a fatal stabbing. Here’s how it will pay off instead

WEST PALM BEACH — More than six years later fatally stabbing another man at an intersection in Riviera Beach, a 33-year-old man pleaded guilty to manslaughter and felony counts of armed burglary.

Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Cymonie Rowe sentenced Douglas Stennett to 17 years in prison after he entered the plea at a hearing on Thursday, October 24. Prosecutors accused Stennett of fatally stabbing Romario Joseph on July 14, 2018, after he exited his vehicle and approached. Joseph’s car at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Australian Avenue.

Stennett previously claimed he acted in self-defense. His lawyers told a judge in a 2020 hearing that Stennett feared for his safety because Joseph had threatened him moments before the fatal encounter. Circuit Judge Kirk Volker denied a defense motion to grant Stennett immunity from prosecution under Florida’s “stand your ground” statute.

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The victim’s mother wanted the man to receive a more severe punishment

Riviera Beach police described Stennett as the aggressor, saying he got out of his vehicle at a traffic light and drove several cars ahead to confront Joseph, then 21. Joseph in the chest.

Nicola Chang, Joseph’s mother, addressed the court via a remote video stream, saying she opposed the plea deal and wanted Stennett to receive a harsher sentence.

“I’ve been suffering for six years,” she said. “He killed my son and I feel all the pain. He hopes to get the request to get out and be with his family. I can no longer have the chance to be with my son.”

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15th Circuit Judge Cymonie Rowe speaks Thursday, April 20, 2023, at the Palm Beach County Courthouse in downtown West Palm Beach, Florida. Maliik Hylton of Sunrise is accused of killing a Boynton Beach man in 2019 while the victim's wife and children hid in an adjoining room.15th Circuit Judge Cymonie Rowe speaks Thursday, April 20, 2023, at the Palm Beach County Courthouse in downtown West Palm Beach, Florida. Maliik Hylton of Sunrise is accused of killing a Boynton Beach man in 2019 while the victim's wife and children hid in an adjoining room.

15th Circuit Judge Cymonie Rowe speaks Thursday, April 20, 2023, at the Palm Beach County Courthouse in downtown West Palm Beach, Florida. Maliik Hylton of Sunrise is accused of killing a Boynton Beach man in 2019 while the victim’s wife and children hid in an adjoining room.

Rowe told Chang he understood her concerns, but noted that a trial would not guarantee a conviction or prison time for Stennett.

After accepting the plea, Rowe ordered Stennett to serve the 17-year prison terms concurrently. She credited him with 2,291 days spent in county jail awaiting trial, meaning he served more than six years of his sentence.

Stennett pleaded to a lesser charge of manslaughter after a grand jury indicted him on first-degree murder charges. He answered Rowe’s questions confirming his acceptance of the plea, but did not address the court further.

Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can contact him at [email protected] and follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on the Palm Beach Post: Man who claimed to ‘stay on your feet’ after fatal stabbing has learned sentence